Health officials say to avoid these LA County beaches due to bacteria levels

LOS ANGELES - People planning to visit any of seven area beaches should avoid swimming, surfing or playing in ocean waters due to high bacteria levels, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning Tuesday.

The affected beaches are:

• Windward storm drain at Venice Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain;
• Big Rock Beach in Malibu, 100 yards up and down the coast from the public access steps;
• Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, entire swim area;
• Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey, entire swim area;
• Santa Monica Pier, 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier;
• Ashland Avenue storm drain in Santa Monica, Santa Monica South Tower 28, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain, and
• Herondo Street storm drain in Hermosa Beach, 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain.

Those beaches had bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested, the health department said.

Meanwhile, an earlier warning has been lifted for the waters at the Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa Monica Beach, near Santa Monica South Tower 20, where recent samples produced water-quality levels within state standards, the health department said.

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