17 million gallons of sewage spill into ocean, close miles of LA beaches

Dockweiler State Beach, pictured here in March 2020, was closed for swimming Monday after 17 million gallons of sewage spilled into the ocean. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

July 13 (UPI) -- Miles of beaches along the Southern California coast in the Los Angeles area remained closed on Tuesday after 17 million gallons of sewage leaked into the Pacific Ocean.

Officials said the sewage came from the Hyperion treatment plant and spilled into Santa Monica Bay on Sunday.

As a result, about 4 miles of beaches were closed Monday to swimmers and surfers.

"Water samples are being tested and I'm getting more information about the scope of the problem," Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn tweeted. "Beaches from El Segundo to the Dockweiler RV Park are closed for swimming."

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health closed off the affected areas and said the beaches will stay closed until test results are "confirmed negative for elevated bacteria."

"Public Health officials are advising residents to avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas," the department said in a statement. "Beach users are advised to stay out of the water until the advisory is removed."

The Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant is Los Angeles' largest and oldest sewage treatment facility and can handle about 450 million gallons of water each day.

"The plant's relief system was triggered and sewage flows were controlled through use of the plant's one-mile outfall and discharge of untreated sewage into Santa Monica Bay," Executive Plant Manager Timeyin Dafeta said, according to USA Today.