raw-sewage-spill-forces-closure-california-beaches

Massive Raw Sewage Spill Forces Closure of California Beaches

California officials in Long Beach discovered a massive sewage spill on Thursday (12/30), and they closed all swimming areas.

Officials discovered that 2 million to 4 million gallons of the foul stuff leaked into the Dominguez Channel before hitting the Los Angeles harbor. The city issued a press release on Friday after learning of the sewage the day before. Reuters reported on the sewage incident.

Later in the day, Fox 11 reported that those sewage totals updated to 6 to 8 million gallons of leaked sewage.

Social media users expressed their unhappiness over the spill and beach closure. One Twitter user said, “Man, long beach is always having these issues.” Another user said, “Happens all the time way too often. This ain’t accidents.”

Officials: Carson Sewer Leak To Blame

Officials pinpointed the leak from a 48-inch Carson sewer mainline. They could not provide information over the line’s failure. 

Fox 11 reported Carson crews found the spill at the 212th/Moneta Streets intersection around 3 p.m. A sewer collapsed near the I-210 off-ramp, and California officials scrambled to fix it.

KTLA reported that a significant storm brought record-breaking rain to some area cities, Long Beach, on Thursday. One official, L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn, wanted answers over the spill. Hahn called the massive spill “dangerous and unacceptable.” 

The woman wanted sanitation districts to thoroughly investigate and see if the blame was “aging or faulty infrastructure.” The Los Angels Times reported that officials were increasingly worried about the spill.

Water quality officials are testing the area along with seven miles of beaches. Consequently, seven beaches are closed until bacterial levels improve.

When the pollution levels return to normal, swimmers can get back in the water. Those California swimmers are pretty tough, it seems.

New Year’s Tourism Suffers Setback

One tourist from Massachusetts said she was looking forward to the “change in scenery.” Instead, Sandi Williams was “bummed” she couldn’t put her feet in the Pacific Ocean water.

Williams had hoped to play at the beach, but that’s out. KTLA reported officials canceled the New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim at Cabrillo Beach.

She told the Los Angeles Times that she braved the new COVID variant and airline issues to visit friends and family in California for the holidays only to get shut out by the spill. 

Sadly, state law mandates beach closures until the health standards improve.

Earlier Smell Located At Cosmetics Plant

A foul smell developed in that same channel back in October. The Los Angeles Times reported a foul odor that thousands complained about for weeks. Residents asked for help finding hotel rooms outside the city, and government officials provided financial assistance.

Officials later said a Carson warehouse fire that stored beauty and wellness produces was the likely culprit of the smell.