State, Rehoboth should focus on stormwater

There's nothing like late July and early August to reinforce the unique character of Rehoboth Beach among Delaware's cities and towns. One of Sussex County's smaller towns in terms of geography, the number of people on the beach on a peak summer weekend alone makes it - on those days - by far the most populous city in the county and one of the state's largest.

On a recent sunny Sunday afternoon, people and a sea of colorful umbrellas filled the sands from the northern end of the Boardwalk to the southern end, dune to surf. And more than a sprinkling of the larger, open, square tents staked out early for the best beach real estate stood among the umbrellas.

This was a day, and not that unusual, when it's likely that more than 50,000 people packed into the city.

All of this relates to the swimming advisory posted by the state for a day in late June, following heavy rains that washed Rehoboth's streets, draining dirty water through stormwater pipes into the ocean.

The state was quick to post the advisory, as is necessary when health concerns arise. Officials lifted the advisory almost as quickly as it was posted - a few strong tides doing the cleansing job - but more is necessary and the state should be involved. Clearly the stormwater pipes played the devil's role, and they need attention.

Mayor Sam Cooper has often said that all the concern expressed about potential environmental impact from the coming wastewater outfall pipe, which will discharge a mile offshore, would be more properly directed at the stormwater pipes discharging just beyond the surf zone.

Rehoboth Beach and state officials must put their heads together to find a solution for the stormwater-outfall problem.

The state has to be involved, with funding and ideas, because of its unique partnership with Rehoboth Beach. Those hundreds of thousands of people attracted to Rehoboth generate millions of dollars of economic activity and taxes to help keep the state's finances healthy.

Let's get on this problem sooner as opposed to later. Let's show we really care for our ocean - the key to Rehoboth's character.