By admin 
Authorities on Thursday, July 2, shut down a section of Thalia Beach in Laguna Beach just ahead of the popular holiday weekend because of a 2000-gallon sewage spill.
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The OC Health Care Agency’s Environmental Health Division closed Thalia Beach at Anita Street and for a quarter mile of coast on either side.
The affected ocean water area will remain closed for a minimum of three days and until the results of follow-up water quality monitoring meet acceptable standards, officials said.
The spill was caused by a malfunction of a main sewer line pump, the agency said in a statement.
The city has a construction project underway at the Anita Street ocean stairway, which includes beach access improvements and the complete replacement and reconstruction of the sewer lift station, Dave Kiff, city manager for Laguna Beach, said in a city update sent out Friday.
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“Late yesterday afternoon, a leak occurred from the temporary sewer lift station bypass system that has been in place during construction. After the contractor left the site, a fitting on the bypass line became dislodged, allowing wastewater to spill when the lift station pump cycled on,” Kiff said.
Based on computer monitoring system data, the city estimated that between 400 and 2,000 gallons were released between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Once the leak was discovered, city officials said Public Works responded and the contractor returned to the site and the leak was stopped.
The city will conduct an investigation.
“We sincerely regret that this occurred, especially on a holiday weekend when so many are enjoying local beaches,” Kiff said.
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 11:04 AM.