Beaches closed for pipe check

South Bay beaches will be closed through at least Thursday as officials check the condition of a five-mile sewage pipeline that carries treated wastewater into Santa Monica Bay.

It marks the first time divers have inspected the inside of the pipeline since it was built in 1960 to carry sewage from the city of Los Angeles’ Hyperion treatment plant. Until now, annual inspections have been done only by looking at its exterior.

Officials on Monday described the evaluation as a long-planned preventive measure to spot potential trouble spots before they turn into breakages or leaks. The pipeline runs underground from Hyperion below Dockweiler State Beach before heading five miles into the bay.

During the inspection, the city’s daily 300 million to 350 million gallons of treated wastewater will be diverted to a nearby one-mile pipeline normally used only for emergencies.

As a precaution to protect beachgoers from the possibility of bacteria-tainted water near the shore while the backup pipeline is being used, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is closing beaches effective today.

The affected area extends about seven miles from Ballona Creek just south of Marina del Rey down to the Manhattan Beach Pier. It includes Dockweiler State Beach and parts of Manhattan Beach, including the popular El Porto surfing area.

Mark Gold, executive director of the Santa Monica environmental group Heal the Bay, lauded the efforts by the county health department and the city Department of Public Works. Gold, whose organization worked with city and county officials on the pipeline inspection plan, called the work a “prudent step” intended to “prevent any future major spills into the bay.” He also said officials would be “monitoring the water quality like crazy” to protect the public while the one-mile pipeline is being used.

For more information, call the county Department of Public Health’s beach closure and advisory hotline at (800) 525-5662.

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stuart.silverstein@latimes.com