Sewage spill closes Laguna Beach’s Woods Cove to swimmers

A portion of the ocean at Laguna Beach is closed to swimming, surfing and diving after about 20 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the water Wednesday night.

Laguna Beach officials reported the spill — at Woods Cove between Center Street and Moss Street — to the Orange County Health Care Agency at about 10 p.m., said Anthony Martinez, water-quality program manager for the agency.

A blockage in a sewer line in the front yard of a home on Ruby Street caused about 75 gallons of raw sewage to spill out of the pipe. Crews were able to catch some of the sewage before it reached a nearby storm drain, but about 20 gallons made it into the water, Martinez said.

The earliest the area could reopen is Saturday, following testing of bacteria levels in the water, he said.

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