Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre joined South County community members Wednesday to call for increased county action and funding for the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
Aguirre, a candidate for San Diego County Supervisor in the July 1 Special Election, laid out a five-point "County Sewage Action Plan" and called on county leaders to adopt "immediate, targeted action" in their upcoming budget to protect South Bay residents' health in wake of the trans- border sewage issue.
"This isn't just sewage — it's sickness, school disruption, economic harm — and it's being given lip service," she said. "If this was happening in La Jolla, no one would blink at doing what's needed to clean up the mess, but we get shortchanged.
"Our families are worth more than a fraction of a percent and we need bolder, more urgent action to protect South County across the board. We're calling on the Board of Supervisors to act now by adopting real action to protect children and those suffering from the worst impacts of toxic sewage pollution. The county board needs to stop leaving South County behind and take action now."
As the ongoing sewage crisis continues to plague south county communities, Aguirre said just .02% of the county's proposed $8.5 billion annual budget addresses sewage response — including infrastructure upgrades, environmental clean-up and public health protections.
This comes as the District 1 supervisorial seat — which covers the South Bay — remains vacant.
Aguirre is a candidate for that vacant District 1 seat in the Special Election, facing off against Chula Vista Mayor John McCann.
Aguirre's five-point plan called for:
- Eliminating a toxic sewage "hotspot" at the Saturn Boulevard bridge by fixing a poorly designed bridge that "traps river sewage underneath and magnifies toxic odors";
- Protecting school children with upgraded air filtration and ventilation systems in schools and daycares;
- Launching a comprehensive public health study to "guide medical interventions, especially for young children," and help unlock more state and federal funds;
- Appointing a County Sewage Crisis Chief to coordinate action at all levels of government; and
- Authorizing an economic impact report of the crisis's financial impacts on homeowners and area businesses.
"Our children are sitting in schools just feet from toxic pollution — breathing in dana day after sewage flow across the U.S.-Mexico border temporarily increased in the Tijuana River Valleygerous air while they try to learn," said Marti Emerald, Sweetwater Union High School District Boardmember and former San Diego City Councilwoman. "The county must do better to help local schools and daycares that don't have the resources or expertise to combat toxic pollution on their own. Kids in South County deserve the same protections and healthy classrooms as anyone else in San Diego County."
The criticism of county leadership comes a day after sewage flow across the U.S.-Mexico border temporarily increased in the Tijuana River Valley as part of a sewer line-repair project in Mexico.
In a news release issued Friday, the county Air Pollution Control District announced the project could also increase pollution at South County beaches, as untreated wastewater is diverted south of the border.
Now in its second and final phase, the project began Tuesday and will take roughly one week to complete, APCD officials said.
The existing line moves untreated wastewater to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in the U.S. and the San Antonio de los Buenos Plant in Mexico, according to the APCD.
"The completion of this line is critical for preventing potential catastrophic failures and increasing reliability of Tijuana's wastewater infrastructure," the APCD stated.
The APCD monitors odor complaints and hydrogen sulfide levels for communities located near the Tijuana River Valley.
According to the county, residents in affected communities can reduce the impact of the hydrogen sulfide odors by limiting outdoor activities if the smell bothers them.
The county also advises keeping doors and windows closed, using fans or portable air condition to increase circulation indoors and using an air purifier with a high-efficiency particulate air filter, activated charcoal and potassium permanganate.
Last month, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin visited with San Diego leaders about the ongoing issues caused by the trans-national pollution.
"This visit for EPA is very important for us to make sure that we aren't just seeing and hearing first hand on the ground in Southern California, but ensuring that the path forward is one of max collaboration and extreme urgency to end a crisis that should have ended a long time ago," Zeldin said in April.
"It's a beautiful day where people should be able to spend an Earth Day not worrying about foul smells in the air ... public health, beach closures and so much more," Zeldin said. "But that's the reality that Americans in Southern California have had to live through for way too long. They want action and they're right."
In recent years, the U.S.-Mexico border sewage pollution problem has closed beaches and caused serious health issues for some residents. Untreated wastewater from Mexico's Tijuana River crosses the border into the United States and washes out to sea just south of Imperial Beach.
The bacterial buildup from raw sewage in the wastewater has necessitated the closure of South Bay beaches almost without interruption for three years.
McCann said he was "grateful to have Administrator Zeldin in San Diego to see firsthand the challenges our community faces and to help us push for sustainable, long-term solutions."
"I am committed to working alongside Administrator Zeldin to provide innovative solutions that will finally put an end to this 30-year crisis," McCann added.
