Beaches near Ballona Creek reopen after sewage spill

Health officials Friday afternoon reopened beaches near Ballona Creek to swimmers and surfers, two days after they were closed because of a major sewage spill.

Testing showed bacteria levels in the water within normal ranges for two days in a row, so lifeguards on Friday began removing closure signs from two miles of coastline south of the creek outlet, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

The closures were ordered after a clog in a sewer main caused a manhole near Centinela Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard to overflow Wednesday, discharging an estimated 500,000 gallons of raw sewage into a storm drain that leads to Ballona Creek and, eventually, the Pacific Ocean.

The spill ranks among the worst in the last two years along the Los Angeles County coastline. Alfonso Medina, director of the county Environmental Protection Bureau, said back-to-back “negative” tests that indicated no spike in human waste in the water allowed them to reopen waters earlier than expected. Previously officials had said the beaches would be closed through at least Saturday.

Water quality groups said they were impressed with the city’s swift response to the spill.

“They dropped everything and got a major sewage spill contained in the space of hours,” said Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay. “This is a great case where the city’s prompt action protected public health and the environment.”