Sewage has made its way to the ocean in Seal Beach — the latest in a string of sewage spills in Southern California prompting a temporary beach closure.
The latest spill was about 30,000 gallons of sewage coming from the Coyote Canyon area, which feeds into the San Gabriel River, according to Joe Bailey, Seal Beach’s marine safety chief.
A final burst of rain for Southern California — then the storms are done
The spill was among several this week, including an 8-million-gallon one of raw sewage into the Dominguez Channel on Monday, Feb. 5.
Last week, two occurred in Long Beach — one with 38,000 gallons and a 20,000-gallon spill. There was also a 10,000-gallon spill into the Palos Verdes Peninsula area and more elsewhere.
The spills led to closures of the ocean in coastal areas, including Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and all ocean water swimming areas in Long Beach, both closed until further notice.
Advisories by healthcare agencies in Orange and Los Angeles counties are advising people to stay out of the water for 72 hours following rain, especially near storm drains and river outlets.
“The elevated levels of bacteria can continue for a period of at least three days, depending upon the intensity of the rain and the volume of the runoff,” the Orange County Health Care Agency warns. “Swimmers should avoid coastal waters impacted by discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers, and beach users should avoid contact with any runoff on the beach during dry or wet weather conditions.”
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