All shoreline & water at City and County beaches within the City of Laguna Beach reopened as of 8:00 a.m. Thursday, October 14, 2021, after the City received results from the Incident Command Public Health Assessment Unit which indicates that the water and sediment data received from Orange County samples do not indicate a public health concern for short-term exposures from the use of beaches in the county. A new updated Health Advisory was also issued today by the Orange County Health Officer which also provides additional advice.
The City also collected its own water quality testing samples on Friday, October 8, Monday, October 11, and Wednesday October 13 from four sampling locations in Laguna Beach. Results received to date indicate no presence of petroleum-related toxins from the oil spill along the Laguna Beach shoreline. Based on these three pieces of information, the City reopened its shoreline and water to the public this morning. The City will continue monitoring the ocean water quality at its beaches on a regular basis for the next several weeks.
As beach assessment and cleanup operations continue in Orange County, the public can expect to see cleanup crews in protective gear monitoring, inspecting, and cleaning the beaches. Community members who would like to volunteer in the cleanup effort are encouraged to register at https://calspillwatch.wildlife.ca.gov/Volunteer.
While most of the onshore oil has been removed, the public can expect to see oiled materials and tar balls continue to wash up on the beach. Please do not attempt to pick up or clean oil from beaches. If you see oil contamination or oil tar balls on beaches, please call the Marine Safety non-emergency line at (949) 497-0310 or email tarballreports@wildlife.ca.gov. For oil spill-related resources and information go to https://bit.ly/3j1SaW0.