Swimmers and surfers should avoid the ocean within 100 yards of the Santa Monica Pier after the LA County Department of Public Health found bacteria levels exceeding California safety standards in routine water testing.
The department issued the advisory Friday, July 10, and it remains active through the weekend with no scheduled lift date. The warning arrives as a heat advisory is expected to push crowds toward the coast on a peak summer Saturday.
The DPH said recent water samples showed bacterial levels that "may increase the risk of illness." According to the EPA, the most common illness from contaminated swimming water is gastroenteritis, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Swimmers can also develop ear, eye, nose, and throat infections.
Four other LA County beaches also flagged
The Santa Monica Pier is one of five sites under active warning as of Friday, July 10. The full list, according to the county's press release:
- Mother's Beach, Marina del Rey — entire swim area
- Inner Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro — entire swim area
- Castlerock Storm Drain, Topanga County Beach — 100 yards up and down the coast
- Topanga Canyon Beach, Malibu — 100 yards from the lagoon
- Santa Monica Pier — 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier
The county simultaneously cleared two sites where follow-up samples showed water quality within state standards: the Pulga storm drain at Will Rogers State Beach and Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove.
A recurring issue at the pier
The pier's water quality troubles are not new. The Santa Monica Pier area appeared on Heal the Bay's annual Beach Report Card as one of the dirtiest beaches in Los Angeles County in May 2026. That same month, Heal the Bay and the city of Santa Monica announced a joint investigation into the pier's chronic poor water quality.
The county tests ocean water weekly and collects additional resamples at sites that exceed state standards. Advisories remain in effect until follow-up testing confirms bacteria levels have returned to safe ranges.
The Santa Monica Wave has not received a response from city officials regarding the advisory as of publication.
How to check conditions and report problems
The county posts updated beach conditions on its website at publichealth.lacounty.gov/beach and through a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-525-5662. Warning signs are also posted at affected beaches.
To report a sewage spill during business hours (8 a.m.–5 p.m.), call (626) 430-5360. After hours, weekends, or holidays: (213) 974-1234.
