A 1,400-gallon sewage spill that occurred in downtown Long Beach on Saturday evening flowed into Rainbow Harbor and has forced the closure of beaches from 3rd Street to the Belmont Pier, according to a press release from the office of the City Manager. Long Beach Health Officer Dr. Helene Calvet issued the closure yesterday – no word yet on when they will be re-opened.
A leaking sewage line near 65 Cedar Avenue reach the stormdrain system and is estimated at between 400 and 1,400 gallons. This makes the spill much smaller than the 13,000-gallon spill that occurred in South Pasadena two weeks ago, forcing closures in the same area when it reached the Los Angeles River. However, Saturday’s spill occurred much closer to the drain system and Long Beach’s coast, increasing risk for anyone coming into contact with the water,
The Health Department took test samples of local waters this morning to determine if there are any health risks, and whether the sewage actually did reach the stormdrain system and then Rainbow Harbor. The closure was announced as an early precaution. The department is still investigating the cause of the leak.
Click here for our June report on the City of Long Beach’s $300,000 effort to clean up the Los Angeles River using stormdrain filters and other new methods.
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