Long Beach Beaches Shut After Sewage Pipe Burst

All ocean swimming spots along Long Beach have been closed. The city health officer ordered the shutdown after a major sewer pipe broke. The order covers beaches, bays, and lagoons. Officials say the water may not be safe for people.

The break happened Friday evening near Livingston Drive and Second Street. About twenty‑nine thousand gallons of raw sewage escaped. The pipe that failed is a pressurized force main used to move waste uphill. The rupture sent waste straight toward the shoreline.

Crews redirected the flow with a temporary bypass line. An emergency contractor was brought in to help clean up. Roughly fifteen thousand gallons were captured, but fourteen thousand gallons reached the ocean. Repairs on the broken line are now underway.

State rules require the beaches to stay closed until tests show the water meets health standards. Rain is expected this weekend, so sampling will start Monday and continue until results are clear. Full closures like this are rare and usually only happen during big emergencies. Meanwhile, nearby counties have issued their own bacterial warnings for other beaches.