Los Angeles County Health Department Advises Against Water Activities at Several Local Beaches Due to Elevated Bacteria Levels

Due to high bacterial levels, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has warned beachgoers in the Los Angeles County area not to go near water at a number of beaches. The health alert advises against swimming, surfing, and playing in the impacted locations and explicitly targets ocean water use.

Popular locations like Venice Beach, next to the Windward storm drain, where the alert is in effect for 100 yards up and down the coast, are among the beaches impacted. Additionally, swimmers should avoid the water at Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey, Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, and Big Rock Beach in Malibu. At these latter two places, the entire swim area is under the advisory, indicating a serious public health hazard.

The Herondo Street storm drain at Hermosa Beach, the Ashland Ave. storm drain in Santa Monica, and the vicinity of Santa Monica Pier are other locations where the alerts have been implemented. According to a health department bulletin, cautions are in force for 100 yards around Lifeguard Tower #24 on the Strand Street expansion at Santa Monica Beach.

These alerts are issued because, according to data from the most recent testing period, the water’s bacterial counts are higher than what is considered safe for human consumption. The county offers a 24-hour beach closure hotline at 1-800-525-5662 for beachgoers who want to check the conditions or who are planning future trips to the shore. The public can also visit the beach website of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for more detailed information and to see an interactive map of the affected areas.

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