Warning signs posted near Newport Pier

The Orange County Health Care Agency posted a handful of warning signs

150 feet from the Newport Pier in both directions on Sunday.

The agency announced the posting at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, after detecting

heightened levels of bacteria in the water near the pier.

Local officials and environmentalists have suspected for some time

that a plume of treated sewage released into the ocean by the Orange

County Sanitation District is depositing the bacteria in the water near

the pier.

Swimmers are advised to stay out of the water until bacteria levels

return to lowered levels. That could take as long as 72 hours.