For years, residents in San Diego’s South Bay had to deal with strong odors linked to an ongoing sewage crisis. San Diego County officials say it will get a bit worse before it gets better.
Home to more than 370 bird species — including six that are endangered — the Tijuana Estuary’s beauty is undeniable. The estuary is the largest coastal wetland in Southern California, according to the California State Parks.
The wetland begins near Interstate 5 at the border and runs west to the ocean, and every year, billions of gallons of pollution flow from Tijuana into San Diego and out to sea, according to San Diego Coastkeeper.
The beach has been closed for more than 1,000 days, and things may be about to get worse.
San Diego County is warning people about upcoming work in Mexico that could cause even more sewage to flow north. It's the second and final phase in the connection of a sewer line.
Imperial Beach business owner Brandon Ruiz is hoping this will be one of the last times the city is subjected to the smell.
“It seems like almost a necessary step to ultimately getting rid of the stink,” Ruiz said.
The county says people who are affected by the smell should limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed and use air purifier with a HEPA filter.
The county says this work needs to be done to prevent "potential catastrophic failures and increasing reliability of Tijuana’s wastewater infrastructure.”
Ruiz said he understands it’s complicated.
“I’m just hoping that ultimately it gets solved. Because I love IB, and I want to stay loving IB,” Ruiz said.
The work is expected to begin Tuesday and take about a week to complete.
