All coastal swimming areas in Long Beach were closed to the public on Saturday after a pressurized sewer main break triggered an ocean sewage discharge, leaving officials unable to predict when the water will reopen for recreation.
City Health Officer Dr. Cliff Okada ordered the temporary closure covering open coastal beaches, bay swimming areas, and lagoons after wastewater began spilling late Friday afternoon. Long Beach maintains more than six miles of public shoreline where water quality is continuously tracked by health authorities.
The Long Beach Utilities Department reported that approximately 29,000 gallons of sewage escaped from a broken “force main”—a pressurized pipe designed to transport wastewater across flat or elevated terrain—near Livingston Drive and Second Street. The rupture began at roughly 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Utilities crews rapidly deployed a bypass line to reroute the wastewater flow and enlisted emergency contractor Ocean Blue to manage the cleanup. Of the total 29,000-gallon spill volume, response teams successfully recovered 15,000 gallons, while the remaining 14,000 gallons discharged into the ocean. Repair operations on the damaged pipeline are currently underway.
State regulations mandate temporary closures and public warning postings at beaches during such incidents out of an abundance of caution. The coastal waters will remain off-limits to swimmers until water quality testing confirms compliance with state standards.
Because incoming weekend rain is expected to impact coastal conditions, water sampling operations are scheduled to begin Monday and will continue as necessary until test results satisfy state recreational water quality thresholds.
Complete municipal beach closures remain uncommon, typically occurring only during major emergencies such as raw sewage main breaks, fire debris hazards, or severe weather events like lightning strikes. Routine bacterial warnings and rain advisories regarding urban runoff are more frequently issued.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Friday warned residents to steer clear of swimming, surfing, and ocean play near Ballona Creek at Dockweiler State Beach, Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey, and adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier because bacterial counts surpassed health limits. Conversely, health warnings were lifted for Malibu Point, Surfrider Beach near Malibu Tower 3, and Avalon Beach west of the pier on Catalina Island.
