4,000-gallon sewage spill closes Doheny State Beach in Dana Point

Health officials have closed access to parts of Doheny State Beach after roughly 4,000 gallons of sewage spilled onto the beach in Dana Point on Wednesday.

The spill came from a main city sewer line in San Juan Capistrano, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The closure extends 3,000 feet around the spill site at the mouth of San Juan Creek at the beach in Dana Point, according to officials.

An aerial view near Dana Point Harbor on Thursday shows rain runoff in the Pacific Ocean.

(Wesley Parsons/Joy Air)

The area will remain closed to swimming, surfing and diving until follow-up tests show the water meets acceptable standards.

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley’s office is monitoring the situation and asked the community to stay clear of the area. After the recent rainfall, landslides closed a section of Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point and an area behind four apartment buildings in San Clemente, Foley said in a written statement.

“We remain ready to mobilize our resources to make our waters safe for our communities and wildlife,” Foley said.

California

After major San Clemente landslide, officials warn next storm could force more evacuations

Four buildings in San Clemente have been deemed unsafe after heavy rains caused a massive landslide along the coast Wednesday, forcing many evacuations.

March 16, 2023

For information regarding Orange County’s ocean, bay or harbor closures, call (714) 433-6400 or visit the HCA website. To report a sewage spill, call (714) 433-6419.