Over Memorial Day weekend, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has advised against swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters at five area beaches due to excessive bacteria levels. The areas affected by the department’s warning include Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach, Mother Beach in Marina Del Rey, Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. Testing found that bacterial levels at these locations exceeded health standards.
Recently, the department lifted warnings for two area beaches after water quality levels were found to be within state standards. The cleared beaches are the Temescal Canyon storm drain at Will Rogers State Beach and the Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica State Beach.
For 24-hour updates on beach conditions, individuals can call the county’s beach closure hotline at 1-800-525-5662. More information and a map of impacted locations are available at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach. Remember to check for updates and warnings before heading to the beach to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.