Gov. Newsom Finally Visits Tijuana River As Local Leaders Say Fixing Treatment Plant Not Enough To Address Sewage Crisis

A groundbreaking ceremony for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego attracted California Gov. Gavin Newson to the Tijuana River Valley on Tuesday. The treatment plant will be renovated amid a sewage and water pollution crisis affecting communities along the river.

"The Tijuana River sewage crisis has impacted our communities for far too long," Newsom said. "We are making real progress – but our work is far from over — we need serious, continued action to protect public health and restore our environment."

While Newsom's pronounced commitment to address the issue was welcomed by local leaders, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre told Border Report that "the plant is not going to reduce our crisis."

Imperial Beach is one of the most affected areas by the sewage and overall pollution coming into the Tijuana River Valley from Mexico; its beach was recently deemed one of the most polluted in the country.

Aguirre acknowledged the importance of refurbishing the plant, but also urged the governor to declare a state of emergency that would unlock recovery funds for environmental damage, public health threats, and tourism losses.

"We're having hundreds if not thousands of families over the years impacted, and now in the last two years, it's gone up significantly by the toxic gasses, pathogens that are being aerosolized by what's coming through the river," Aguirre said.

The Imperial Beach mayor proposed diverting the river and treating the water before it reaches San Diego's communities, something that would allow California to not be "subject to Mexico."

"We need to armor our side with infrastructure that would allow us zero cross-border flow and anybody who says that's not doable, that's all excuses," Aguirre said.

The crisis intensified back in June when more than 14.5 billion gallons of untreated raw sewage seeped into the shores of California beaches from Mexico, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission. Recent water pollution measurements show the water's quality closely resembles that of raw sewage.

Beachgoers have been consistently told to stay away from the region's beaches. Imperial Beach Shoreline, Tijuana Slough, Coronado Shoreline and Silver Strand Shoreline are among those rendered unsafe to bathe in.

In August, the water's strong stench prompted San Diego County officials to launch a pilot program that gave away air purifiers to residents following complaints regarding odor from toxic sewage coming from Tijuana. Residents have reported chronic coughs, migraines and nausea, and say the symptoms go away when they go elsewhere. While well-intentioned, residents complained the air purifiers "were not enough."

California lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at tackling the issue in September. The Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act is similar to other bills that sought to restore bodies of water like Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes, according to the Border Report.