The City of Long Beach’s health officer, Anissa Davis, ordered all swimming areas along the city’s coastal beaches temporarily closed for water contact as a result of a sewage spill, according to a press release Feb. 15.
Per a Los Angeles County report delivered to the City of Long Beach Friday, approximately 764,000 gallons of sewage was discharged into the Los Angeles River on Feb. 14. The sewage spill occurred at the intersection of Hollydale Boulevard and Silverlake Boulevard in Los Angeles. At this time, the cause of the sewage spill is unknown and is under investigation.
As of Feb. 19, a majority of Long Beach’s beaches were still closed due to water contamination from a sewage spill.
The pictured data, as of Feb. 19, shows the current status of beaches from the sewage spill
State law requires temporary closure and posting at beaches in these situations, out of an abundance of caution, until the water quality meets State requirements, the City of Long Beach wrote.
Upon notification from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the City of Long Beach Health Department’s Recreational Water Quality health inspection team began monitoring water quality along the coast. Water monitoring will continue until results comply with State water quality standards.
Long Beach has approximately seven miles of public beach. To protect the safety of the public, the City wrote that its health team collects and tests weekly water samples to monitor bacterial levels. The community is encouraged to pay close attention to any warning signs posted at the beach for their safety.
The public can call the City’s Water Hotline at (562) 570-4199 or visit longbeach.gov/beachwaterquality for more information.