Orange County residents flocked to local beaches over the weekend due to a record heat wave that saw temperatures in the 90s to 100s. Bacterial conditions in the area have returned to a normal level following a recent sewage spill this month.
Residents on r/orangecounty discussed heavy traffic backloads at Crystal Cove State Park on Saturday and Sunday, as well as recreational activity in areas previously affected by the spill, including Talbert Channel within the park.
A sewage spill in Costa Mesa sent roughly 4,000 gallons of wastewater into storm drains on May 2, some of which entered the ocean at the mouth of the Santa Ana River. The spill prompted beach closures from the Talbert Channel outfall at Huntington State Beach to the Grant Street entrance in Newport Beach, Calif. while officials tested bacteria levels, allowing the beaches to reopen on May 5.
The Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) announced in a release that it originally responded to a sewer spill on East Mesa Verde Drive at Golf Course Drive, which was reported by a resident who spotted sewage leaking from a pipe access point near their home.
According to the CMSD, tree roots had blocked the sewer line, narrowing the pipe and contributing to the blockage. A buildup of cooking grease, potentially from nearby households, further restricted sewage flow.
CMSD announced that emergency crews tracked and recovered approximately 3,000 gallons of sewage — roughly 75% of the total spill — using Costa Mesa’s storm drain mapping system. Responders followed the sewage to a downstream storm drain, where they vacuumed the wastewater and diverted it back into the sewer system.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Environmental Health Director Darwin Cheng said the spill likely traveled through the Fairview and Banning channels to the Santa Ana riverbed before reaching the Talbert Channel and entering the ocean.
In a statement addressing the spill, Katrina Foley, vice chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, urged the public to follow official warnings.
“As a matter of public health and safety, I urge residents, visitors, and beachgoers to follow posted signage and avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas where sewage was released as water quality is assessed,” Foley wrote.
This incident is not the only recent major sewage spill in Orange County. A cracked sewer pipe in Dana Point led to a spill of approximately 3,375 gallons near Salt Creek Beach on Dec. 3, 2024. The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) closed nearby ocean waters for several days while water quality was monitored.
On Jan. 14, a pipe break in Laguna Beach caused a spill of around 465,000 gallons of sewage. According to the State Water Resources Control Board, Laguna Beach has reported more sewage spills than any other city in Orange County since 2015, with 68 documented incidents.
In a post on X on May 5, HCA announced the reopening of approximately half a mile of OC beaches affected by the May 2 sewage spill.
“We’ve removed the Ocean Water Closure from the open coastal area spanning from the Talbert Channel outfall in #HuntingtonStateBeach to the Grant St. projection in #NewportBeach,” HCA wrote.
According to HCA’s website, the affected beach areas remain under advisory due to high bacteria levels, with warnings in place for Huntington and Newport beaches.
“Ocean water bacteria levels exceed state health standards and may cause illness,” HCA said.
For information regarding Orange County ocean, bay or harbor closures, visit OCBeachinfo.com or call 714-433-6400. To report a sewage spill, call (714) 433-6000.
Niko Wilson is a News Intern for the spring 2025 quarter. He can be reached at nikow@uci.edu.