95,000 gallons of sewage leaks within two miles of Laguna Beach

Aerial view of the Orange County coastline of Laguna Beach, California.ArtBet/E+/Getty Images

95,000 gallons of sewage spilled into coastal waters in Laguna Beach, Southern California, on Wednesday, closing more than two miles of shoreline.

The closure extends from Laguna Boulevard to the Blue Lagoon, according to an announcement from the Orange County Health Care Agency. This area will be closed until further notice.

“The spill, estimated to total 94,500 gallons, was caused by a rupture in a main sewer line in Laguna Beach,” the agency said, KTLA reported. The exact location of the outage has not been released.

Affected areas will remain closed to swimming, surfing and other recreational activities involving water contact. The agency said ongoing water quality monitoring will determine when water reaches “acceptable standards” and reopening can be considered, according to the Associated Press.

Orange County Healthcare will provide the latest information on its website at www.OCBeachInfo.com or by calling 714-433-6400. The agency also asks that any sewage spills be reported by calling 714-433-6419.

Sewage leaks put human health at risk by allowing bacteria to contaminate water. This bacterium can cause various health effects in people who come into contact with it.

“Gastroenteritis is the most common illness associated with swimming in sewage-contaminated water. It occurs in many forms and may present with one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, headache, and fever,” California Gov. website states. “Other minor illnesses that can result from swimming in contaminated water include ear, eye, skin, nose and throat infections. In highly polluted water, swimmers can sometimes contract more serious illnesses such as dysentery, hepatitis, cholera and typhoid .”

In addition to their negative impact on human health, sewage leaks pose significant risks to the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sewage spills increase the risk of algal blooms, which block sunlight and oxygen to aquatic life.

According to the Surfrider Foundation, approximately 900 billion gallons of raw sewage leak into surface waters around the world each year. The organization explains that leaks can often be attributed to aging and poorly maintained infrastructure that is unable to meet the wastewater demands of a rapidly growing population.

“Climate change will make things worse as coastal storms will occur more frequently and more severely, dumping large amounts of rainwater, causing flooding and sewer overflows,” the Surfrider Foundation shared. “Sea levels in some coastal cities like Miami The rise has also caused fair weather flooding and problems within stormwater and wastewater systems.”

Subscribe to get exclusive updates from our daily newsletter!