Monterey County closes Carmel-by-the-Sea beach after force‑main sewage spill; testing ongoing

Council member (unnamed) told colleagues the city had been told of a beach closure only after a resident alerted staff and shared a photograph of a Monterey County Health Department sign closing the beach in the National Marine Sanctuary. ‘‘Did we get any informed by the county or the sewage spiller?’’ the council member asked. Staff member (planning department) replied, "No, sir. We did not."

Staff described the incident as a force‑main spill — a pressurized sewage pipe failure — and said early reports indicated a concentrated but relatively small volume of sewage entered the marine area. "The testing came back late yesterday and confirmed that there was indeed contamination, so the signs were left up," the staff member said. Additional testing had begun and staff expected results the following day; if results show no contamination, the county signs would be removed.

Council member emphasized the need for better communication among partner agencies, saying the city must do a better job of coordinating public notice when incidents affect the beach and public safety. The council said it would place larger, more visible advisory boards at the beach in the meantime because the county’s posted signs are small.

No formal action or vote was recorded during the update. Staff said they would notify the public again once they receive the full test results and more information about the location and cause of the spill. "Then the signs will come down. But until then, we do have to ask people to stay off the beach," the staff member said.