A San Diego County beach was closed after dozens of gallons of sewage spilled Saturday night and entered the Carlsbad State Beach.

The county’s Department of Environmental Health issued the closure order after a pump at the beach failed and released about 1,000 gallons of sewage that flowed down Highway 101 and into a storm drain, where an estimated 100 gallons then spilled into the beach.

The spill was discovered around 8:00 p.m. after the pump failed at the north lift station for Carlsbad State Beach.

“The sewage flowed down Highway 101 and entered a storm drain where an estimated 100 gallons of sewage entered the beach,” the statement released by the county Department of Environmental Health read. Signs warning against swimming were posted from Palomar Airport Road to the breakwater, the county's department of environmental health announced.

The beach was reopened on Monday, according to The San Diego County Web site.

A recent report issued by the Natural Resources Defence Council showed that the number of beaches closing due to the unsafe conditions for swimming and to pollution declined by 12 percent in 2007 from the previous year. The largest source of pollution continues to be contamination from storm-water runoff.

2007 was the third consecutive year with more than 20,000 beaches closed because they were considered unsafe due to pollution.