The City of Huntington Beach and California State Parks announced on Sunday that they plan to reopen both the city and state beaches in Huntington Beach on Monday.
The beaches will reopen at 6:00 a.m., the city said in a press release.
The decision to reopen the beaches comes after the results of water quality tests on coastal seas and wetlands showed undetectable levels of oil-related toxins in ocean water, the statement said.
Huntington Beach City & State’s beaches will reopen tomorrow (11/10) at 6am. The joint decision to reopen comes after the seawater quality test results showed undetectable levels of oil-associated toxins in our seawater.
For more information ➡️ https://t.co/m38x7892SC pic.twitter.com/uNpGS3aYqr
– City of Huntington Beach (@CityofHBPIO) October 11, 2021
Citing health and safety concerns and working with the Orange County Health Care Agency, the ocean and shoreline between the Santa Ana River Jetty and Sunset Beach have been closed in response to the oil spill off the Huntington Beach coast.
The city and state have been monitoring the situation since the first report on the oil spill.
“While the U.S. Coast Guard in Huntington Beach is leading all of the cleanup, local action has been focused on two main priorities: protecting the health and safety of residents and visitors, and preventing an ecological disaster by mitigating its impact.” of oil on the coast and in the wetlands, “says the press release.
As an added security measure, Huntington Beach hired an independent contractor to test 40 different locations along the Huntington Beach coast and in wetlands from the Santa Ana River Jetty to Sunset Beach, the statement said.
All samples were tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total oil hydrocarbons (TPH) to determine the oil content in the ocean.
The test results for all but one of the 40 tested locations showed an undetectable amount of PAH and TPH. The only place where oil was discovered was at a non-toxic level in the water north of Warner Avenue.
“The health and safety of our residents and visitors is of the utmost importance. We understand the importance of our beaches to tourism, our economy and our livelihoods here in Huntington Beach, ”said Kim Carr, Huntington Beach Mayor. “It is important that our decision to reopen our coastline and water is based on data and that we continue to monitor water quality in the future.”
The first independent test report for the seawater can be found on the city’s oil spill website.
Officials said the water quality tests will continue twice a week for at least the next two weeks, and those test results will also be posted on the city’s oil spill website.
Officials reminded the public to use caution when visiting the beach.
A rolling notice remains in effect for all beaches in Huntington Beach, given the oil spill and its impact, the press release said.
Beach goers are advised to avoid areas where there is a smell of oil.
Officials said oiled materials and tar balls are expected to wash up on the beach, and individuals are advised not to handle or ingest any oil materials.
If you see balls of oil or tar on the beach, please contact the beach cleaning teams at [email protected].
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