Sewage spill closes part of Newport Harbor to swimmers

By Hannah FryStaff Writer

March 20, 2017 2:30 PM PT

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A portion of Newport Harbor is closed to swimming and diving after 750 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the water Saturday afternoon.

Sewage flowed from a storm drain into the water at Newport Marina at West Coast Highway and Newport Boulevard around 1 p.m., said Anthony Martinez, water quality program manager for the Orange County Health Care Agency.

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The spill originated in a parking lot at 620 W. 17th St. in Costa Mesa after a pump station failed to move the sewage into the main line. Instead, it flowed into a storm drain and into the harbor, Martinez said.

Water quality tests are being conducted, and the earliest the closure could be lifted is Tuesday, Martinez said.

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Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

Hannah Fry

Hannah Fry covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times. She most recently covered Orange County for The Times and has written extensively about criminal trials, housing, politics and government. In 2020, Fry was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara. Fry came to The Times from the Daily Pilot, where she covered coastal cities, education and crime. An Orange County native, Fry started her career as an intern at the Orange County Register.