Due to high bacteria levels, LA County says to avoid these beaches

Dirty beach water prompts health warnings

LA County health officials are warning the public to avoid swimming in the dirty waters of some of the local beaches.

LOS ANGELES - Citing high bacteria levels, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday warned residents to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean waters at 18 area beaches.

The department's warning covers:

-- Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach (near Will Rogers Tower 18, 100 yards up and down the coast from the creek);

-- Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu (100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon);

-- Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey (entire swim area);

-- Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms);

-- Santa Monica Pier (100 yards up and down the coast from the pier);

-- Trancas Creek at Zuma Beach (100 yards up and down the coast from the creek);

-- Malibu Pier (100 yards up and down the coast from the pier);

-- Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro (entire swim area);

-- Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach (entire swim area);

-- Dockweiler State Beach (Westchester Storm Drain, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain);

-- Santa Monica Beach (Pico-Kenter storm drain, Santa Monica South Tower 20, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain);

-- Walnut Creek at Paradise Cove (entire swim area)

-- Solstice Creek at Dan Blocker County Beach (entire swim area);

-- Puerco Beach (Marie Canyon Storm Drain, 100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps);

-- Carbon Canyon Beach (Sweetwater Canyon Storm Drain, entire swim area);

-- Topanga County Beach (Castlerock Storm Drain, entire swim area);

-- Latigo Shore Drive in Malibu (100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps); and

-- Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove (100 yards up and down the coast from the Paradise Cove Pier).

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The department said those locations were found to have bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested.

Information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the county's beach closure hotline at 1-800-525-5662. A map of impacted locations and more information is available at PublicHealth.LACounty.gov/Beach/.