The water at a popular campsite in Mission Bay has now been deemed safe by health officials after an earlier sewage spill led to warnings and signs along the shore.
Just before 2 p.m. Saturday, the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health (DEH) lifted a water contact closure for Campland beach at the Campland on the Bay campgrounds.
The area was closed to water contact earlier this week – ahead of the busy Memorial Day weekend – so the DEH could evaluate the extent of a sewage spill that happened on Thursday about 5,000 feet upstream of Mission Bay.
A blocked sewer line spilled hundreds of gallons of sewage into a creek that empties into Mission Bay near Campland beach. Roots blocked the sewer line, spilling an estimated 1,175 gallons of sewage near Bluffside Avenue and Bella Pacific Row.
Health officials posted contamination warning signs along the shore.
Water quality testing was conducted by the City of San Diego and DEH over the past two days. That testing determined there are no longer potential sewage impacts to the waters in Rose Canyon Creek and Campland beach, city officials said, and both areas meet State health standards.
Despite the short-lived water contact closure at Campland, the site was packed for Memorial Day weekend.
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Kenny Johnson, recreational director for Campland on the Bay, said the closure had not been a major problem for the campground, as there are many other activities for visitors to take part in that don’t include getting into the water.
Camper Julian Alberni was there with his family Saturday enjoying the long weekend. He said the contamination warning signs did not put a damper on his family’s plans.
“It’s not a big deal for us. We’re not really planning on playing in the water anyways,” Alberni told NBC 7. “We have a boat, so we’re just going to cruise around the bay and have a good time.”
