Health officials have lifted warnings advising people and pets to stay away from water at several Sonoma County beaches after tests showed safe conditions following a spill earlier this week of untreated wastewater at the Russian River Treatment Plant in Guerneville, county officials said on Friday.
Doran, Campbell Cove and Salmon Creek beaches were cleared after two days of testing. Warnings remain in place at Gualala, Black Point, Stillwater and Goat Rock beaches while officials wait for a second set of test results required by state law.
Results are also pending for beaches along the Russian River downstream from the spill. If the water tests are within safe limits, the remaining warnings are expected to be lifted Monday.
Ellyse Cappellano, county environment health specialist, records her latest water sample, at Doran Regional Park , Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in response to the sewage spill in Guerneville. Several site are being tested up a down the Sonoma Coast. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
The spill began early Tuesday morning when heavy storms pushed large amounts of river water into the treatment plant, overwhelming the facility, officials said.
The spill ended just before 7 a.m. Thursday.
The plant is designed to handle about 710,000 gallons of wastewater a day in dry weather, according to Sonoma Water, which operates the facility. Officials estimated on Friday that the volume of the spill was more than 5.5 million gallons.
Parks and beaches along the lower Russian River remain open, though signs warn visitors to avoid contact with the water. Officials said drinking water was not affected, but people with wells that may have been flooded should disinfect them.
Even though the advisory has been lifted for some beaches, county officials still urged people to rinse off after being in ocean or river water and to wash pets.
“Winter storms typically stir up a variety of contaminants, so rinsing off is a good habit,” said County Interim Health Officer Dr. Michael Stacey.
Updates on the spill and water testing are available at https://www.sonomawater.org/rrcsd-spill
You can reach Staff Writer Isabel Beer at isabel.beer@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @IsabelSongbeer.