Sewage spill prompts beach closure in Marina del Rey
The Marina del Rey Sewerage District announced this week that two beachfront lots in the area are slated to be closed for the season. The affected areas include the El Farol, the San Carlos and Pico Golf Links on the Santa Monica Pier. The Santa Monica Pier has been closed to the public for several months due to concerns about possible sewage spills.
“We are trying to be responsive and proactive to address any concerns, especially the health and wellness of the public,” the District’s Director of Environmental Health, James Schulz, said in a statement. “No area in Marina del Rey has been more impacted by the drought than our beaches. Water-quality monitoring indicates that our beaches – particularly our El Farol, Pico and San Carlos parks – are in need of regular restorations, as pollutants accumulate and the beach is not a healthy environment for the public to enjoy.”
The closure follows an April 3 incident in which a sewage overflow sent some 16,000 gallons of sewage spilling into the ocean, causing beach closures to be extended on April 9 through April 11. The sewage was discharged from a sanitary treatment plant after a leak on April 3 that resulted from excessive rain.
“This is certainly disappointing to us,” said Marina del Rey Supervisor Ron Kim, whose district includes the area impacted by the sewage overflow. “I hope that the city and the district will be able to find a way to address this situation for the long term.”
The city has been cooperating with the District on an effort to reduce pollution at the El Farol park to make it a safe and healthy haven for residents. The city is also providing emergency sand to residents living in areas affected by the sewage spill and working with Marina del Rey officials to reduce the risk of future sewage spills. The city is providing sand for immediate shoreline protection to protect the El Farol park and adjacent marinas, the San Carlos Park area and for the San Pedro Golf Course.
“We are very confident that the city will continue to strengthen our relationship with the District and work with them to keep our residents in Marina del Rey safe and healthy,” Kim said.
The District expects to take at least three months to complete maintenance of the El Farol park area due to the length of time needed to bring the park back to its initial health. The process of restoring the park is expected to take up to