Waters near Balboa closed for sewage spill

The Newport Beach waters just north of Balboa Island in the harbor will be closed to swimmers until at least Wednesday afternoon because of a sewage spill, county officials announced Monday.

A grease blockage in the pipes of Pavilions supermarket, 1000 Bayside Drive, caused about 240 gallons of sewage to spill, polluting the water from Promontory Point Channel down bay to the Bayside Cove opposite Balboa Island, said Larry Honeybourne of the County of Orange Health Care Agency’s public health services.

Health officials don’t open waters exposed to a spill until samples there show the water to be safe again, meaning the area between Balboa Island and Bayside Drive to the north will be closed through at least Wednesday, Honeybourne said.

A 150-gallon sewage overflow in Newport Beach’s sewer lines caused a beach closure over the weekend between F and H streets on the bay side but has since been lifted, officials said.

For more information regarding local beach closures or harbor postings, call (714) 433-6400 or go to ocbeachinfo.com. To report a sewage spill, call (714) 433-6419.

— Joseph Serna