Sewage Spill: Water Use Warning Issued For Marina Del Rey Beach

MARINA DEL REY, CA — Los Angeles County health officials Thursday warned surfers and swimmers about high bacteria levels in the water at several Los Angeles beaches, including Marina del Rey.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urged people to be careful in ocean waters around discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers.

As of Thursday, the following beaches did not meet state standards for safe water quality:

• Bel Air Bay Club at Will Rogers State Beach
• Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey
• Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica
• Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

Warnings have been lifted for the following beach areas where recent sample results identified water quality levels within state standards:

• Avalon Beach at Catalina Island (50 feet east of the pier)

A power outage at the Hyperion Treatment Plant spurred a 17-million-gallon sewage spill in the Santa Monica Bay in July 11. Beaches from El Segundo to the Dockweiler RV Park in L.A. County were closed, then reopened. In the last week, warnings were issued for multiple beaches north of the spill, including Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

City Controller Ron Galperin has demanded answers from the plant about what happened and why the public wasn't notified about the 17 million gallons of untreated sewage spilling into the ocean.

"This catastrophic accident not only did great damage to our local beaches and water, but also undermined the public's trust in their government's ability to serve them and keep them safe," Galperin said. "Residents have the right to know exactly why the sewage spill happened, its impact on the area, the cost to taxpayers and what steps will be taken to prevent another similar incident in the future."

Hyperion Executive Plant Manager Timeyin Dafeta issued a statement in July saying that during the spill, the plant "became inundated with overwhelming quantities of debris, causing backup of the headworks facilities. The plant's relief system was triggered and sewage flows were controlled through use of the plant's one-mile outfall and discharge of untreated sewage into Santa Monica Bay."

Rep. Ted Lieu Tuesday called for an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"Given the severity of recent incidents, the subsequent and continued discharge of untreated and partially treated wastewater near highly trafficked beaches, and the lack of clear communication by the city of Los Angeles, an investigation into the facility's operations, response, and environmental impact is warranted," Lieu, D-Torrance, wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan and NOAA Administrator Richard W. Spinard.

"As the city of Los Angeles discharged this wastewater and facility operators attempted repairs, key local first responders and nearby cities were not immediately informed of the discharge in the nearby ocean," he said, adding that it may have violated a 2007 California law he authored to improve reporting of sewage spills.

Visit the county's website to learn more about beach conditions or call 1-800- 525-5662.

SEE MORE:

• LA County Confirms First Human Case Of West Nile Virus This Year
• New Surge Hits Santa Monica's Providence Saint John's I.C.U.
• Cedars-Sinai Ranks As Top Hospital: U.S. News & World Report