LB health officer lifts closure on coastal beaches following December sewage spill

Long Beach City Health Officer Anissa Davis lifted the closure order on coastal beaches Dec. 28 after consecutive lab results indicated the water was within state water-quality standards. The decision is the aftermath of a sewage spill that originated from the Glendale area on Dec. 17, a city official told the Signal Tribune the day after the incident.
Judeth Luong, the City’s environmental-health operations officer, said in a Dec. 20 phone interview that a sewage discharge of about 10,400 gallons from the Glendale spilled into the Los Angeles River. According to the report, the sewage spill was caused by a grease blockage in the line and has since been repaired.
“As soon as we found out, we took samples, and they came back with high levels of bacteria,” Luong said.
California law requires the temporary closure of beaches in these situations until the water quality meets the state’s requirements. After a few days of testing following the spill, over half of the beach locations in Long Beach were reopened.
Lab-test results from the remainder of the locations are now within State water-quality standards and all beaches have been reopened. Long Beach has approximately seven miles of public beach, according to the City.
“It usually takes 72 hours to clear the water from any level of bacteria,” Luong said. “You know, it takes a while. The turnover rate is really slow to clear the ocean. The bacteria, they’re resilient, and it just takes time for them if they’re growing in that environment. You just have to flush them out and get rid of them.”
For the latest status on Long Beach recreational beach water quality, call the Water Hotline at (562) 570-4199 or visit longbeach.gov/beachwaterquality.
Jan. 2, 2018, 12:17pm: This story has been updated to factor information about the reopening of impacted beaches. The original article can be found below.
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As of press time Thursday, some of Long Beach’s coastal beaches were still closed after a sewage spill led to their temporary closure Dec. 18, according to a city official.
Judeth Luong, the City’s environmental-health operations officer, told the Signal Tribune Tuesday a sewage discharge of about 10,400 gallons from the Glendale area spilled into the Los Angeles River. According to the report, the sewage spill was caused by a grease blockage in the line and has since been repaired.
“As soon as we found out, we took samples, and they came back with high levels of bacteria,” Luong told the Signal Tribune in a phone interview Dec. 20. “And so the beaches remain closed.”
In a press release Dec. 18, city officials wrote that Anissa Davis, the City’s health officer, ordered all swimming areas along the coastal beaches temporarily closed for water contact. The decision came as a result of a state law that requires the closure of beaches in such situations, according to the release.
Luong said the health-inspection team requires two clean samples of water before beaches can be reopened.
“It usually takes 72 hours to clear the water from any level of bacteria,” she said. “You know it takes a while. The turnover rate is really slow to clear the ocean. The bacteria, they’re resilient, and it just takes time for them if they’re growing in that environment. You just have to flush them out and get rid of them.”
As of Dec. 20, via the City’s recreational-water monitoring website, Mother’s Beach, Colorado Lagoon-West, 2nd St. Bridge & Bayshore, Alamitos-Bay Shore Float and 56th Place-On Bayside were open.
5th Place-Beach, 10th Place-Beach, Molino Ave-Beach, Coronado Ave-Beach, W/side of Belmont Pier, Prospect Ave-Beach, Granada Ave-Beach, 55th Place-Beach and 72nd Place-Beach were still closed.
Colorado Lagoon-East was on advisory status.

Luong told the Signal Tribune that the City of Long Beach Health Department’s Recreational Water Quality health-inspection team has tested water quality along the coast since the incident. Water testing will continue until results comply with State water quality standards.
For the latest status on Long Beach recreational beach-water quality, visit longbeach.gov/health/inspections-and-reporting/inspections/recreational-water-samples/.
Dec. 20, 2018, 1:15pm: This story has been updated to include current information about the status of Long Beach’s coastal beaches.