Shore Pollution Eases; Most of Beach Reopened

Health officials Thursday reopened all but a small stretch of the Huntington Beach surf that had been closed because of pollution for much of the summer. City leaders and merchants were hoping that crowds will return for the Labor Day weekend.

The Orange County Health Care Agency acted after tests of ocean water showed a rapid and continuing reduction in bacteria levels. Although the source of the contamination remains a mystery, sanitation officials said urban runoff and water from a downtown construction site might have contributed to the problem.

“There’s been a dramatic improvement in the test results starting last Saturday . . . and we have been monitoring that very frequently,” said Dr. Hildy Meyers, interim county health officer.

County officials were lobbied heavily by businesses and government officials to lift the closure, which has kept crowds away from a city that thrives on summer fun and surfing. But officials said the decision was based purely on scientific evidence.

“We aren’t out to impoverish people who make their living off of tourism,” Meyers said. “But our charge is to protect the public’s health to the best of our abilities with the tools we have available.”

The Labor Day holiday typically draws 250,000 people to the pier area, and downtown merchants see their sales rise by 50% or more.