Los Angeles County beachgoers beware: officials are waving the red flag on several popular spots due to high bacteria levels in the ocean waters. The county's Department of Public Health has issued warnings for specific areas around Santa Monica Canyon Creek, Santa Monica Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey, Inner Cabrillo Beach, Topanga Canyon Beach, Malibu Lagoon, and Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach. High bacterial levels exceeding health standards were found at these locations, and locals are advised to give the water a wide berth, according to the County of Los Angeles, California.
Specifically, the affected areas include a 100-yard radius around each of the aforementioned locations, except for Mothers Beach and Inner Cabrillo Beach, where the entire swim area is a no-go. As per the County of Los Angeles, California, these conditions are enough to make your beach day a sick day if you're not careful. While the public should steer clear of these waters, not all the news is bad. The latest tests have shown that the waters near the Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica Beach are now within safe limits, lifting previous advisories.
For those planning their sun-soaked excursions, the health department keeps an updated map of the impacted locations on its website, as well as a 24-hour beach closure hotline at 1-800-525-5662.
