Sewage Spill Again Closes Portion of Newport Bay
The water off Northstar Beach in Upper Newport Bay was closed to swimmers Thursday for the second time this month after an estimated 600 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the channel, authorities said.
The morning spill was likely caused by grease blocking a Newport Beach city sewer line, officials said.
Northstar Beach will be closed to swimmers for at least 72 hours while the county tests the water’s bacterial levels, said Monica Mazur of the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The beach was closed to swimmers for three days after 250,000 gallons of partially treated sewage spilled into the bay Dec. 7 from a broken Irvine Ranch Water District line.
Much of Upper Newport Bay has been closed to swimmers since 1974 because of high levels of bacteria, Mazur said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
