Officials closed Dog Beach in Ocean Beach as well as multiple lanes of traffic on Friars Road after a sewage leak spilled into the nearby San Diego River Wednesday morning.
The leak was reported around 5 a.m. at the intersection of Friars Road and Old Sea World Drive after a valve at a nearby pump station failed, officials said.
Preliminary estimates show the valve failure released 18,000 gallons of sewage, 9,000 of which reached the San Diego River, said Jennifer McBride, a spokesperson for the city of San Diego.
The beach, which is located near the entrance channel of Mission Bay, was quickly closed, said county spokesperson Donna Durckel. Westbound traffic on Friars Road was also reduced to one lane as crews work to fix the valve and clean up the spill.
“The closure (of the beach) will remain in place until sampling shows the water is safe to enter per State guidelines,” Durckel said. “Although coordinating with the county, the city is conducting water quality sampling to support ongoing assessment and its response.”