Local officials closed several beaches in California after tens of thousands of gallons of sewage leaked into the ocean.
The Orange County Health Care Agency’s Environmental Health Division announced the closures in Newport Beach on Monday, where an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the ocean.
The sudden leak occurred due to a blocked sewer line underneath a local restaurant, the Health Care Agency said in a statement.
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The affected areas will remain closed for swimming, surfing, and diving until water quality meets acceptable standards, the agency said.
The California coast has had sewage problems in recent months. Beaches in Southern California were closed on New Year’s weekend after 7 million gallons of untreated wastewater spilled into the ocean. The spill occurred due to heavy rainfall in the area, which caused the Los Angeles sewage system to “collapse.” A similar leak occurred in October 2021 when a pipeline breached outside of Huntington Beach, releasing 25,000 gallons of crude oil into the nearby ocean.
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A rusted pipeline burst on Dec. 27, leaking 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel into several local ecosystems in Louisiana. The leak had been recognized by several officials as being in need of repair, according to federal documents. However, the company operating the pipe failed to complete the repairs in time.
