SOUTH LAGUNA : Aliso Beach Open After Sewer Work
A half-mile stretch of Aliso Beach closed by a sewer spill two months ago reopened Monday morning after tests showed that the waters are safe for swimmers, an Orange County Health Care Agency official said.
“We have reopened the beach as of 9:30 this morning,” said Steven Wong, assistant director of environmental health for the county. “The test results are all below the safety level. They’re way below the safety standards.”
Water officials said the waters became contaminated when a pipeline, believed to have ruptured during a fierce storm in February, dumped treated sewage into the ocean near the Aliso Beach shoreline. The sewage continued to flow into the ocean while divers attempted to seal the pipe.
On Friday, a dye test of the pipeline showed that the cracks in the line had been sealed.
The repairs are a temporary fix for the 14-year-old pipe. A more extensive repair project to permanently mend the sewer line is scheduled to begin in the fall. The repair schedule was set to allow swimmers to enjoy the beach through the summer, said Lisa Hogan, assistant general manager for Aliso Water Management Agency, the waste-water treatment agency that is handling the repairs.
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