50-gallon sewage spill forces closures

A sewage spill in the Bayside Coves area of Newport Bay on Tuesday caused the Orange County Health Care Agency to close off a quarter-mile area to swimmers and divers, said Larry Honeybourne, program manager with the agency.

The city of Newport Beach responded about 11:30 a.m. to a spill caused by one of Vons Pavilions grease interceptors. The plumbing device overflowed, causing grease and sewage to spill into the parking lot, run off to the storm drain and then spill into the Bayside Coves area.

About 50 gallons of sewage spilled, which is considered a small amount, but the agency wanted to take precautions and ensure safety by closing a quarter-mile area, which includes a buffer zone, Honeybourne said.

The area will be closed until further notice.

“In order to open the water, we need two consecutive days of water quality samples that meet state standards, and obviously the sewage source has to have been eliminated,” Honeybourne said.

The health-care agency closed Vons to prevent additional spills.

— Mona Shadia