Laguna Beach Sewage Spill Settlement Approved At $1.5 Million

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A settlement was reached for the disastrous sewage spill into Aliso Creek in 2019, San Diego Water Quality Control Board says.

Laguna Beach will pay $785,780 in fines and pay an additional $748,278 for improvements to ensure such a spill is avoided in the future.

A corroded valve led to the 1.7 million gallon sewage spill at Aliso Creek, according to previous Patch reports, fouling the ocean for 16-miles, from Crystal Cove State Beach to Dana Point's Poche Beach.

Infrastructure improvements need to be made to wastewater treatment centers, according to the Water Board's enforcement coordinatorChiara Clemente. She told the OC Register that "it's encouraging to see these funds applied to wastewater infrastructure improvements."

It was Thanksgiving weekend of 2019 when the corroded valve broke. It took three days for the City of Laguna Beach to replace the valve that was leaking on a 24" sewage pipe, effectively stopping a wastewater leak by December 3.

"The leak occurred near the Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park and was from the City sewage system, not The Ranch Golf Course as originally thought, a spokesperson for the city said at the time. Residents and business owners made efforts to conserve water usage while crews worked around the clock to repair the line.

Sewage flowed into the ocean at the Laguna Beach State Marine Conservation Area and the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve.

Read also:

Raw Sewage Spill, Rain Advisory, Closes 16 Mile Stretch Of Coastline

Sewage Spill Stopped In Laguna Beach, Totalled Over 1.4 Million Gallons

Thanksgiving Sewage Spill Over, Beaches Reopen, More Rain On The Way