LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A routine maintenance test will be conducted today for the 1-mile outfall from the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, which was the site of a massive sewage spill this summer.
The plant annually tests its three bypass gates to ensure they are properly functioning. During the tests, which will occur today and Thursday from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., 250,000 gallons of fully treated and disinfected wastewater will be released through the 1-mile outfall and then pumped back into the plant before reaching the ocean.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will not close the beaches, since the wastewater is fully treated and not expected to be received into the water, but the department will monitor bacterial levels today and Thursday.
The 1-mile outfall is typically used for excess stormwater, downstream maintenance, repairs or emergency use.
The northbound lane of Vista Del Mar Boulevard will close in front of the plant, located at 12000 Vista Del Mar, on Thursday from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., officials said.
On July 11, 17 million gallons of raw sewage was discharged into the ocean from Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant after debris clogged screens and caused flooding at the facility. Beaches were closed the next day, prompting questions about why it took a day to notify the public about the untreated sewage spill and close the following areas: -- Dockweiler State Beach at Water Way Extension; -- Dockweiler State Beach at Hyperion Plant; -- El Segundo Beach; and -- Grand Avenue Storm Drain.
The beaches were reopened July 15 after ocean water samples collected over two days met state standards for acceptable water quality, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Crews completed the cleanup process at the plant about two months ago, according to Elena Stern of the Department of Public Works. An investigation into the cause of the spill is still underway.