The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said on Sunday that visitors to Dockweiler beaches should continue to be careful of the water.
According to recent water sampling, several beaches near the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant exceeded state standards for bacterial levels last Wednesday. After additional water sampling on July 31, the water at Dockweiler beaches again failed to meet state standards for bacteria levels.
The L.A. agency recommended on Sunday that residents “be careful of swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters around discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers.” El Segundo beaches were included in last Wednesday's public health warning but were cleared by Sunday.
The Hyperion plant was the site of a massive sewage spill in mid-July. Seventeen million gallons of untreated sewage were discharged into the water, causing public health to close miles of beaches along the coast.
The Department of Public Health came under fire not notifying the public of the health hazard quickly enough.
A report found there were multiple failures in communication between L.A. city and county agencies that kept the beaches from being closed right after the sewage spill.
County public health officials, including Dr. Barbara Ferrer, apologized at the Tuesday Board of Supervisors’ meeting. The health department promised to "[look] into the breakdown in communications."
The current closure is not related to the sewage spill, according to a statement by the department.
A Sunday night release said, “No sewage is currently being discharged from the Hyperion plant into the ocean and ocean waters.” Instead, officials said the closure was based on day-to-day fluctuating bacteria levels.
Lifeguards have posted yellow advisory signs and the Public Health Beach Water Quality webpage has been updated.
Affected beach areas include:
Dockweiler State Beach
--Ballona Creek (Near Dockweiler Tower 40)
--Culver Blvd storm drain
--Imperial Highway storm drain
--Westchester storm drain
Additional beaches under advisory
--Avalon Beach at Catalina Island (50 feet east of the pier)
--Pico-Kenter storm drain (Santa Monica Beach)
--Topanga Canyon Lagoon (Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu)
Information on beach conditions is also available online at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach/.