The water between Laguna Avenue and the south end of Victoria Beach is closed to surfers and swimmers after about 94,500 gallons of sewage flowed from an outfall pipe at Bluebird Beach to the ocean on Wednesday morning, Nov. 29.
Laguna Beach lifeguards were told to close the 2-mile stretch of sand by the OC Health Care Agency’s Environmental Health Division, said Marine Safety Capt. Kai Bond.
While the sand is still open to recreation, lifeguards are keeping surfers and swimmers out of the water.
The spill occurred during the early morning hours on Wednesday as city maintenance crews, along with a contractor, were doing routine maintenance on the main sewer line. As work was being done on one of the line’s valves, equipment broke and caused damage, resulting in the leaking sewage, said Mark McAvoy, Laguna Beach’s director of Public Works and Utilities.
The break in the line occurred on Galen Drive, where McAvoy said sewage escaped through a manhole and ran down a gutter into a nearby storm drain that took it out to the beach outfall pipe. There, sewage slowly flowed about 20 feet across the beach to the ocean.
The last sewage spill in the city was in November 2019, when about 1 million gallons escaped near Aliso Beach.
McAvoy said city crews and the contractor immediately worked to fix the damaged valve and stop the flow. The pipe was repaired between 6 and 7 a.m., and the appropriate agencies were notified, he said.
“The affected bay water area will remain closed to ocean water-contact sports until the results of follow-up water quality monitoring meet acceptable standards,” according to OCHCA.
How long the water stays closed “will depend on testing, but two days was the estimate, so Friday is a possible opening,” said Mayor Bob Whalen.
The OC Health Care Agency has closed the open coastal area from Laguna Avenue to Blue Lagoon in Laguna Beach due to a sewage spill. The spill volume is an estimated total of 94,500 gallons, and was caused by a break in a force main sewer line in Laguna Beach. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/PmvZ3B8uIS
— Orange County Coastkeeper (@OCCoastkeeper) November 29, 2023
HCA closures were in effect at the following beaches as of Wednesday morning, according to information from Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley:
- Cleo Street Beach
- Bluebird Canyon
- Pearl Street Beach
- Victoria Beach
- Blue Lagoon Beach
“I strongly urge Laguna Beach residents, visitors, and tourists to heed the warnings of public health experts and avoid the beach,” Foley said in a statement.
Residents can get up-to-date information on beach closures at 714-433-6400 or at www.ocbeachinfo.com.
City News Service contributed to this report.
