Errosive pipe ‘abrasian’ behind large sewage spill, officials say [Updated]

[Updated 5:15 p.m.] Burbank Public Works officials determined a faulty pipe was the cause of the sewage spill last Tuesday that resulted in beach closures in Long Beach.

“When the pipe was installed about 30 years ago, there was an abrasion on the bottom of the outside of the pipe,” said Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford. “It continued to corrode until there was a catastrophic failure.”

The rupture sent nearly 30,000 gallons of sewage spill on down South Beachwood Drive. The spill, which emptied into the Los Angeles River basin at South Beachwood Drive, resulted in beach closures as far away as Long Beach.

The city’s Department of Health and Human Services announced on Friday that it would reopen beaches there following two days of closures after testing confirmed that the spill had not contaminated the area.

The replacement pipe was installed last week and tested by crews on Monday.
After videotaping the inside of the pipeline in both directions, no other problem areas were discovered, Teaford said.

“We’re hopeful it was an isolated incident,” she said. “We’ll have everything buttoned up by the end of the week.”

Residential plumbing remained unaffected through the repair process.