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Large Sewage Spill Prompts Warnings Along Oxnard Coastline

OXNARD (CBSLA.com) – A power outage at an Oxnard water treatment plant that sent thousands of gallons of sewage spilling into the ocean has prompted health advisories at two beaches in the area.

The outage at the Oxnard wastewater treatment plant sent about 219,000 gallons of sewage about one mile out into the ocean until it was stopped at 3 p.m. Sunday, according to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

The city has posted warnings from Ormond Beach up to Port Hueneme Beach Park, advising the public to avoid water contact through at least Wednesday.

"You think that they'd let the residents of the condos know that, 'don't go into the water today'" said one resident, who missed the signs and was 30 minutes into her daily run in bare feet near Port Hueneme Pier before she was told the water may be contaminated.

The EHD will conduct tests to determine when the water is safe for contact again.

"If you go out to the end of the pier, there's a big area out there, birds are loving it," beachgoer Jim Melville said.

People should also avoid eating any shellfish harvested from the Ventura County coastline, including mussels, clams, whole scallops, or the internal organs of lobster or rock crab.

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