Areas off Laguna Beach and Seal Beach still closed to swimmers after sewage spills
Sections of ocean water in Laguna Beach and Seal Beach remained closed to swimmers, surfers and divers Thursday following two sewage spills this week.
The closures will be lifted after water tests show bacteria levels have returned to normal, said Anthony Martinez, water program manager for the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The area in Seal Beach likely will reopen Friday, but the closure in Laguna is expected to last a few more days, he said.
OC Health Care Agency officials Wednesday closed the ocean water 300 feet upcoast and 300 feet downcoast of Aliso Creek at Aliso Beach in Laguna after receiving a report of a spill from the Moulton Niguel Water District.
Debris in a sewer line in Aliso Viejo near the intersection of Pacific Park Drive and Aliso Creek Road caused 750 gallons of sewage to back up and flow into the creek, which drained into the ocean Wednesday morning, Martinez said.
On Monday, Health Care Agency officials closed the ocean between the mouth of the San Gabriel River and Fourth Street in Seal Beach after 4,750 gallons of sewage spilled into the water.
The spill occurred Sunday evening in an unincorporated area near east Whittier during heavy rain, which overwhelmed a pump, pushing water and sewage into Coyote Creek Channel. From the channel, the sewage flowed into the San Gabriel River and emptied into the ocean water between Seal Beach and Long Beach.
An advisory for all beaches in Orange County was still in effect Thursday following last weekend’s heavy rainfall.
Officials recommend that swimmers and surfers steer clear of the water for at least 72 hours after it rains because of higher-than-usual bacteria levels following storms.
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