Heatwaves might make you desperate for a splash, but you’ll want to steer clear of several Los Angeles County beaches if you’re hoping to avoid a mouthful of bacteria. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has slapped a use warning on water activities like swimming and surfing at some popular coastal hotspots, citing bacterial levels that would make a petri dish blush. According to the latest bulletin from the health department, issued on July 4th, certain areas around Topanga Canyon Lagoon, the Bel Air Bay Club, Mothers Beach, and more are under active advisories—so maybe stick to sunbathing for now.
For those looking for specifics, the warnings highlight multiple areas, including 100 yards up and down Topanga Canyon Lagoon and Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach, and they aren’t just pulling these spots out of a hat; these are places where the latest tests showed bacteria levels high enough to give public health officials the heebie-jeebies, the full list includes Topanga County Beach, the vicinity of the Bel Air Bay Club at Will Rogers State Beach, the entirety of Mothers Beach at Marina Del Rey, the Santa Monica Pier area and also the entirety of Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, it’s a rogue’s gallery of bacteria infestations.
But not all beach areas are under the bacterial microscope. Warnings have been lifted for certain parts of Avalon Beach at Catalina Island, meaning some stretches of sand are deemed fit for a dip. Specifically, the area 50 feet west of the pier and east of the Casino Arch at Steps Beach is now considered within State standards for water quality…