The cliché “third time’s the charm” proved true for Berkeley’s efforts to fix the aging culverts connecting the Aquatic Park lagoon with the San Francisco Bay. Berkeley received a $4.1 million state grant last month after trying twice before in recent years for funding to repair or rebuild the deteriorating 100-year-old tubes running under Interstate 80, said Scott Ferris, head of the city’s parks and waterfront department. Prone to cracking and clogging, the failing tubes are believed to be primary culprits for the lagoon’s chronic pollution, as they’re less and less efficient in channeling bay water in and out of lagoon with the tides, a cleansing action. Of particular concern are the lagoon’s periodic but persistent high rates of enterococcus bacteria, a health risk for humans, and marine die-offs, primarily affecting rays and leopard sharks.