OCEAN, HARBOR AND BAY WATER CLOSURES DUE TO SEWAGE SPILLS

When a known release of sewage is reported to the Ocean Water Protection Program, the ocean or bay water areas that may be affected by the sewage discharge are immediately closed to water-contact recreational activities. The closure area is based on many factors including type of sewage (e.g., untreated, secondary treated, etc.), volume of spill, location of spill, ocean currents and tides, historical sewage spills in the area and other pertinent information. After the initial closure area is established, the appropriate agencies are notified, the area is posted with closure signs, a press release is issued, the Ocean, Harbor and Bay Water Closure & Posting Telephone Hotline, Web Page and Twitter account are updated with the beach closure information, and daily bacterial sampling of the affected area is initiated.

The closed ocean or bay water area will be reopened or reduced in size when the contamination source has been eliminated and after two daily consecutive sampling results indicate the affected area meets the AB 411 Ocean Water-Contact Sports Standards.

The Ocean, Harbor and Bay Water Closure and Posting Telephone Hotline, web page and Twitter account provide the current status information for beach closures and are immediately updated when a change of status occurs. In addition, detailed information regarding Orange County beach closure events from 1999 to the present can be viewed and downloaded from the web page.

Ocean, Harbor and Bay Water Closure & Posting Telephone Hotline: (714) 433-6400

Ocean, Harbor and Bay Water Closure & Posting Web Page: www.ocbeachinfo.com.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ochealth

The total number of ocean, harbor and bay water closures in Orange County due to sewage spills from 19872016 is summarized in the following graph. The number of sewage spill closures continues to remain below the 30-year average of 19 closures per year.