Sewage spill prompts beach closure in Marina del Rey, California – Marina del Rey, CA, USA
The city of Marina del Rey shut down the beach in response to the ongoing sewage leak from their wastewater treatment plant. The closure is set to last through Saturday, according to CNN affiliate KCAL. The city is in the process of decommissioning the site after years of heavy stormwater runoff. The closure of the beach is being called a move to prevent new residents from moving in to the community, the San Diego Union Tribune reports.
Marina del Rey, with its beach, pier and waterfront are being affected by a water main break and a separate sewage leak that has created a huge and continuing threat to the city’s water supply and beach environment, CNN affiliate KFMB reported. The city says the water main break was caused by the break in a sewer main that carries water from a nearby sewage treatment plant to the city’s water system.
CNN reported that a similar problem occurred last year in which a sewage treatment plant burst during heavy rain, sending sewage from a neighboring town to Marina del Rey.
That sewage leak was a huge threat to the community’s water supply, but the problem has grown. Now, the water main has broken and sewer lines from a nearby treatment plant are spilling chemicals and metals into the city’s water supply.
The problem is so large that the city has been forced to shut down the city’s wastewater treatment plant due to lack of capacity. The facility, in its current state, doesn’t produce enough water for city uses.
The problem is further complicated by the fact that the sewage leak hasn’t stopped. The city has been taking samples of the sewage flowing to the water supply, but officials say the toxic chemicals are still in the water supply. The water main breaks have resulted in large cracks in the sewer lines, which have allowed sewage to spill into the water line.
On Friday afternoon, the city shut off the entire water supply to Marina Del Rey for about three hours to repair the damage and prevent more sewage from flowing into the water supply.
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the city has been testing
