8 million gallon sewage spill forces beach closures in San Pedro, Long Beach

A roughly 8 million-gallon sewage spill forced the closure of Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Monday. 

The discharged sewage flooded forth from an unspecified location at around 6 a.m., according to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials. They say that the untreated sewage was dumped into the Dominguez Channel, which leads to the ocean at Cabrillo Beach. 

The sewage flow was eventually halted, but not before roughly 8 million gallons of spilled out of the unknown area. It was first reported that 1 million gallons were discharged.

Health officials have declared the ocean water at the beach off-limits until the bacteria levels return to acceptable levels. 

Additionally, Long Beach city officials said that a different spill in Commerce also happened on Monday. In this instance, around 40,000 gallons of sewage flowed into the Los Angeles River and, ultimately, the ocean. 

People were already advised to avoid all ocean water throughout the county because of bacterial runoff from the powerful atmospheric river dousing the area. 

Further information, including updated information on the beach closure, is available by calling 800-525-5662 or visiting the Los Angeles County Public Health website.