Briefly in the news

--Paul Clinton

More than 325,000 gallons of drinking water spilled into Crystal Cove

early Wednesday after a construction company ruptured a line near the

Marriott Newport Coast villas.

The spill occurred after workers with Southern California Grading Co.

punctured the line while grading soil on Marriott property. The 24-inch

line is owned and operated by the Irvine Ranch Water District.

The line, also on Marriott property, was shut off and reported to the

Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board at 10:23 a.m., said Kurt

Berchtold, the board’s assistant executive officer.

The water itself wouldn’t be harmful to the cove, Berchtold said. If

sediment was also spilled into the cove, it could have a negative effect.

The cove is one of 34 Areas of Special Biological Significance in the

state.