San Diego County issued a water contact closure for a popular stretch of beach in the La Jolla area after more than 100 gallons of sewage was spilled Friday morning.
At 9:30 a.m., the county learned of a sewage spill near the intersection of Neptune Place and Playa Del Norte Street, just outside of Windansea Beach, an area beloved by surfers and families.
The sewage line became blocked with pieces of gunite, a type of concrete, according to the city’s senior water utility supervisor, Ron Newsome.
The blockage caused the sewage to then overflow a manhole cover, Newsome told NBC 7. Once on the street, the sewage entered the storm drain which dumps into the ocean along the beach.
The spill was contained, but the county estimated that 130 gallons of sewage entered the beach area resulting in potential impacts to ocean water quality.
The county placed warning signs in the area to caution beachgoers of potentially contaminated water. They will remain until officials can test the ocean water and deem it safe for recreational use.
Newsome told NBC 7 his team has already sent a sample to the lab for testing as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, and his team should receive the results within 24 hours.
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The County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health issued the water contact closure.
On Saturday morning, people were still being asked to stay out of the water at WindanSea Beach. Bright yellow warning signs had been placed along the shoreline. Beachgoers can still hang out on the sand but should stay out of the water for now.
