The water off Long Beach was closed to swimmers Saturday after a main sewer line ruptured, and it was unclear when it would be safe to enter the water.
The city announced that city health officer Dr. Cliff Okada has ordered the temporary closure of all open coastal swimming areas, including open coastal beaches, bay swimming areas and lagoons, due to the potential impact of the sewage spill on recreational water quality.
Long Beach has more than six miles of public beaches, and health officials monitor water quality.
According to a Long Beach Utilities Department report, approximately 29,000 gallons of sewage were released near Livingston Avenue and Second Street beginning around 6:30 p.m. Friday. The leak was caused by a rupture of a “main main,” a pressurized pipe used to carry wastewater to flat or upward terrain.
Long Beach Utilities diverted the flow of wastewater through a bypass line and called in emergency contractor Ocean Blue to help clean up the spill. The city said of the total spill of 29,000 gallons, 15,000 gallons of sewage was recovered and 14,000 gallons were discharged to the ocean. Repairs to the broken pipes are underway.
The city said state law requires temporary beach closures and posters on the beaches “out of an abundance of caution” in this situation. The water will remain closed to swimmers until recreational water quality meets state requirements.
With rain expected this weekend, water quality sampling will begin Monday and continue as needed until results meet state recreational water quality standards, the city said.
Complete beach closures are rare and usually occur only during major emergencies such as raw sewer main breaks, fire debris events or hazardous weather conditions including lightning strikes. Targeted bacteria warnings for certain beaches and rainfall warnings involving water runoff are more common.
On Friday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health advised the public to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in the water near Barona Creek at Dockweiler State Beach, Mother Beach in Marina del Rey and the Santa Monica Pier because of bacteria levels that exceeded health standards.
The advisory has been lifted for Surfrider Beach near Malibu Point and Malibu Tower 3 and Avalon Beach west of the Catalina Island Pier.