LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Special water sampling has determined several Los Angeles County beaches near Dockweiler State Beach continue to exceed state standards for bacteria in water, the Department of Public Health announced Sunday evening.
However, testing conducted Saturday determined the water quality level has returned to state standards at the World Way extension at Dockweiler State Beach, lifting the warning there.
The department began issuing warnings Wednesday night to be careful of swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters around discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers in the affected areas.
No untreated sewage is being discharged into the ocean. Bacterial levels in ocean waters often fluctuate from day to day and can be impacted by recent rain events, according to the department.
Lifeguards have posted yellow advisory signs.
Affected beach areas include Dockweiler State Beach at Ballona Creek (near Dockweiler Tower 40); and the Culver Boulevard, Imperial Highway and Westchester storm drains.
Other beaches also under advisory include Avalon Beach at Catalina Island (50 feet east of the pier); Santa Monica Beach at the Pico-Kenter storm drain; and Topanga Canyon Beach at Topanga Canyon Lagoon in Malibu.
The advisories at those beaches are very likely due to day-to-day fluctuations in ocean water bacteria levels. There is no reason to suspect those increases in beach water bacteria are due to the July 11 discharge of 17 million gallons of raw sewage into the ocean from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, according to the department.
Recorded information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the county's beach closure hotline, 800-525-5662. Information is also available on the Department of Public Health's website.