2:25pm | Long Beach waters from downtown to the end of the Peninsula are closed after a 50,000 gallon sewage spill in Burbank entered the Los Angeles River yesterday and may have contaminated local waters.

The spill occurred around 11:47am on Tuesday and City Health Officer Dr. Helene Calvet has closed local beaches though the spill is apparently unlikely to seriously impact water quality. Further testing will be conducted to indicate whether or not the bacteria levels meet State standards for recreational swimming.

If you plan on attending local beaches in the next few oddly-sunny days, be sure to check nearby signs for any warnings or closures.

The Health Department’s Recreational Water Program will be monitoring bacteria levels over the next few days to determine when it is safe for the beaches to re-open.

According to the City, further information about the recreational water quality in Long Beach may be obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services Water Quality Information Line 562.570.4199, or from the Department’s website at longbeach.gov/health.