May 23, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Updated: Pico Kenter Drain Opened Without Warning: City Promises to do Better Next Time

Adhoc signs were placed on Santa Monica beach late Wednesday afternoon, advising swimmers to avoid the Pico Kenter Drain area. The fact that the Santa Monica City signs came almost a full workday after the Pico Kenter Drain was opened into the ocean without warning in the morning, has outraged residents and lifeguards alike, causing the raising of eyebrows across the community.

“The fact that the drain was opened up without any warning is really bad in terms of any notification process,” James Alamillo, Beach Report Card Manager with Heal the Bay told The Mirror. The opening of the drain is a scheduled, planned process, according to Alamillo, and there is no reason that people were not made aware of the situation.

Santa Monica City’s Assistant Manager Water Resources Operations, Gary Welling, told The Mirror that going forward, they promise to do better next time. The City opened the drain in a proactive move, Welling said. They neglected to inform the public.

Resident Larry Price, who is a member of the Surfrider Foundation was on the beach Wednesday morning when he saw Santa Monica City workers in a bulldozer, opening up the Drain that flows directly into the ocean.

“About a half dozen-to a dozen people were in the water about 100 ft. from the drain,” Price said. “There were no warning signs or anything.”

Lifeguard Will Maguire captured video and photos while hearing the news off-duty.

The health ramifications of swimming so close to released potted water, a mix of Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility (SMURRF) overflow, high tide, and urban runoff, can be dire, Alamillo said.

Even though the water looks clear, that doesn’t mean that it’s clean. And while Welling explained that much of the potted water was from the ocean’s high tide, there’s no telling the actual breakdown.

“The water can contain a lot of pollutants,” Alamillo said, “fecal coliform, bacteria, and pathogenic materials – these can call cause illness and serious health effects.”

Resident Price said that he understands that the drain needs to be opened every now and then, but he is outraged that no swimmers were warned about the outflow.

He also questioned the timing in-line with the swimming/surf conditions.

“It would have been a good time for them to do it Monday,” Price said, as there was so much wind and surf and the beginning of the week, that the dirty water could easily be dissipated and no people were in the water.

“They [the City] need to find a better way to handle it,” Price said. “It’s just not…healthy.”

“Safety is a primary concern, and we had more water than usual,” Welling said. Going forward the City has pledged to provide at least two days’ notice of draining to residents, including caution tape and physical signs. 

in News
<>Related Posts

Resilient Palisades Named Nonprofit of the Year by Sen. Ben Allen

May 23, 2025

May 23, 2025

Volunteer-led group honored for climate resilience work and wildfire recovery efforts Resilient Palisades, a grassroots environmental organization based in Pacific...

Governor Announces Early Reopening of Pacific Coast Highway After Wildfire Closures

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Major Stretch of PCH Reopens May 23 After Months of Wildfire-Related Closures Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that State Route...

Film Review: Final Destination: Bloodlines

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

FILM REVIEWFINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINESRated R110 MinutesReleased May 16th  This is the sixth entry in the Final Destination movie franchise that...

Bay Cities Deli Temporarily Closed After Health Violations

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Eleven violation points were attributed to the presence of rodents and insects Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery, a popular...

Man Arrested in Stabbing Near Santa Monica Pier

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Victim hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following altercation A man was arrested after allegedly stabbing another man during an altercation near...

Exclusive Interview with Cardinale du Vin’s New Chef-in-Residence Paul Chuanchaisit

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

The Westside Wine Bar Expands Its Culinary Horizons With a Bold New Menu By Dolores Quintana Cardinale du Vin is...

Palisades Bakery Aids Displaced Residents with Deliveries, Cookbook Donations After Fire

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The bakery’s relief effort is aimed at ensuring that displaced residents continue to have access to familiar foods during recovery...

Memorial Day Weekend in L.A.: Rosé, Beach BBQs, and Brunches Ring in the Summer

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The Westside Is Packed With Culinary Events, Pop-Ups, and Parties This Weekend Angelenos looking to kick off the summer season...

Summer at Annenberg Beach House to Include Sunset Picnics, Yoga Classes and the Annual Cardboard Yacht Regatta

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The Beach House, located on the former Marion Davies estate, remains free and open to the public The Annenberg Community...

(Video) Interview with Chef Roy Choi for his new book The Choi of Cooking

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

We speak with the world-famous Socal Chef in Manhattan Beach at the Los Angeles Public Library.

FDA Probes Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Recalled Cucumbers Distributed in California

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

At Least 26 People Sickened and 9 Hospitalized in Multiple States  Federal health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of...

10th Annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street Comes to Santa Monica This Weekend

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

Annual board game-inspired food event set for Sunday, May 25 The 10th annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street will...

Michelin Three Star Institution Brings 20th Anniversary Culinary Experience to Beverly Hills

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

Grant Achatz’s Alinea Heads to Beverly Hills for Summer Residency Renowned chef Grant Achatz and his team at Alinea, Chicago’s Michelin...

$2.2M Awarded to LA County for Wildfire Prevention Ahead of 2025 Fire Season

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The grants mark the first disbursement of funds from Proposition 4, a bond measure that provides millions for wildfire resilience...

(Video) Classic Cars and Hot Rods Showcased During Santa Monica Pier’s Locals Night

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

It Was The Last Locals Night of the Season It Was The Last Locals Night of the Season. pic.twitter.com/mUo6hMJpPZ —...