Long Beach closes beaches after sewage spill

The city of Long Beach on Wednesday ordered all coastal swimming areas closed after thousands of gallons of sewage spilled into the nearby Los Angeles River.

The beaches were closed out of an “abundance of caution” after the spill discharged 30,000 to 40,000 galloons of sewage into the river Tuesday, Long Beach officials said in a news release.

The spill originated in Paramount and was caused by a grease-clogged sewer line, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

The incident marks yet another instance of sewage spilling into the region’s waters.

Last month, Orange County closed a portion of the ocean near the west end of Newport Bay after a blocked sewer line leaked more than 35,000 galloons of untreated sewage into nearby waters.

In December, a failed sewer line in Carson spewed millions of gallons of waste into the Los Angeles Harbor and forced closures in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Before that, a 17-million gallon spill from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant spewed into the Santa Monica Bay, closing beaches and prompting scrutiny over management practices.

Officials in Long Beach said they will continue to monitor water quality along the affected beach sites until results comply with state water quality standards. Long Beach has approximately seven miles of public beach.