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Sewage spill shuts down Laguna Beach coastal area
The closure spans a quarter-mile north and south of Anita Street at Thalia Beach. Officials say the affected waters will remain closed to swimming, surfing and diving for at least three days, until follow-up water quality testing confirms the ocean meets state health standards.
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - A stretch of coastline in Laguna Beach will remain closed through the Fourth of July weekend after a malfunctioning sewer pump sent an estimated 2,000 gallons of raw sewage into the ocean, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The closure spans a quarter-mile north and south of Anita Street at Thalia Beach. Officials say the affected waters will remain closed to swimming, surfing and diving for at least three days, until follow-up water quality testing confirms the ocean meets state health standards.
But before any sewage reached the water, it flowed through the backyard of one Laguna Beach couple.
Lee and Lynn Cohen were at a party Thursday night when their phones wouldn't stop buzzing. They came home to find a geyser of raw sewage erupting from a broken pipe just next door.
"Quite a bit of flow was coming down there, and it finds a path of least resistance, and it flowed right through our yard," Lee Cohen said. "And so we had kind of had a river of, yes, kaka going through our place. And it was a mess, left a mess. But hey, the city was down here quickly."
Crews worked to secure the leak Thursday night, according to Cohen, who said it took about two hours to get under control. That account has not been independently confirmed by county officials.
The spill was caused by a malfunction of a force main sewer line pump, the health care agency said in a statement.
"We're closely monitoring an active sewage spill of approximately 2,000 gallons in Laguna Beach, caused by a malfunction of a force main sewer line pump," Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said in a statement Thursday. "Orange County Environmental Health is assessing water quality and determining the extent of necessary beach and ocean closures over the holiday weekend."
By Friday morning, warning signs were posted along the affected stretch of sand, prompting some visitors to turn back. Others pressed on with their holiday plans anyway.
Megan Lee, who drove in from Irvine, said she had hoped to get in the water.
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Sewage spill closes part of Laguna Beach
The closure was in effect a quarter-mile in each direction of Anita Street at Thalia Beach, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency's Environmental Health Division.
"It's like a little bit of a bummer, like we kind of wanted to dip our feet in, maybe go in," Lee said. "We haven't been swimming in like years, so. And it's a beautiful day, and so to hear that we can't go in is a little sucky."
Not everyone noticed the postings.
Bridget Santos, visiting from Culver City, said she hadn't seen the signs before she was told about the spill.
"I just hope people are aware of it, because I would hate to be swimming in the water and then hear that there was sewage in it," Santos said. "That would be kind of worst-case scenario, I think."
Still, a closed quarter-mile of coastline wasn't enough to derail most people's holiday weekend.
Breana Dortley, visiting from Lomita, said she didn't expect the closure to keep crowds away.
"Maybe an inconvenience for some," Dortley said. "But I think, because Californians or visitors love the beach, they'll still come."
"They'll figure out a way, right?" Gutierrez asked.
"Yeah, yeah," Dortley said.
Other beaches in Laguna Beach remain open, including Main Beach just north of the closure, which was crowded with holiday visitors Friday morning.
The city's Fourth of July fireworks show is still scheduled to go on as planned Saturday night at Heisler Park.
The Source: This report is based on official statements issued by the Orange County Health Care Agency and Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley regarding the infrastructure failure and environmental response. On-the-scene perspectives and localized impacts were gathered through direct interviews with affected Laguna Beach residents and holiday tourists visiting the impacted coastline.