The Region - News from June 11, 1987

Abnormal readings of coliform bacteria found in waters near Ballona Creek led Los Angeles City Bureau of Sanitation officials to ask that the county post contamination warnings on beaches about a half-mile north and one mile south. Sanitation bureau director Del Biagi blamed the high levels on a possible sewer leak, but said it did not appear to be linked to the discharge Saturday of 300,000 gallons of sewage when an electrical storm knocked out the Venice Pumping Plant. “It is possible,” he said, “that the leak was caused by Saturday’s storm or Sunday’s earthquake. Our crews are attempting to determine whether the line is broken and if so, to locate the break.”