Two of La Jolla's most popular swim spots are under health advisories after water testing found bacteria levels that exceed state standards.

The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality warned beachgoers to avoid water contact at Children's Pool and the beach at the foot of Vallecitos next to Kellogg Park, according to a statement reported Sunday, Aug. 23, by City News Service. The department said bacteria levels at both sites have exceeded state health standards and may cause illness.

The advisories were already in place when the department released its Sunday statement, listed as "ongoing beach management actions." The agency did not identify a specific source of the elevated bacteria at either La Jolla location, and no stormwater event or runoff cause has been publicly attributed.

Advisory vs. closure

A health advisory is a step below a full water-contact closure. Beachgoers are not barred from entering the water, but the county is warning that doing so carries a health risk. Full closures, by contrast, prohibit all water contact in the affected zone.

Several Imperial Beach locations are currently under full water-contact closures tied to sewage flowing from the Tijuana River, according to the same DEHQ statement. The La Jolla advisories are not linked to that contamination in any public documentation.

Tourmaline Surf Park in Pacific Beach is also under a health advisory for the same reason: bacteria levels exceeding state standards.

When will the advisories lift?

The department has not set a date. Advisories remain in effect until follow-up water sampling confirms bacteria have returned to safe levels, according to the DEHQ statement.

How to check current conditions

Residents heading to the coast can verify real-time advisory and closure status at sdbeachinfo.com or call the county's 24-hour beach information hotline at 619-338-2073. Conditions can change daily based on new sampling results.