Public urged to avoid swimming and surfing at LA County beaches – NBC Los Angeles

Elevated bacteria levels in the ocean on Monday prompted the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) to issue an Ocean Water Use Warning for some LA County beaches.

The LACDPH said the public should avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in the ocean at these locations:

Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu, 100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.

Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms.

Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.

Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach, near Will Rogers Tower 18 and 100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

Health officials said recent water samples at those LA County beaches showed “bacterial levels exceeding health standards, which my increase the risk of illness.”

The same warning was recently lifted at the Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach.

To get the latest information on local beach conditions, call LA County’s pre-recorded beach hotline at (800) 525-5662 or check out the county’s ocean monitoring map.

The LA County Department of Public Health’s ocean monitoring map.