The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement Monday between the United States and Mexico intended to permanently end the Tijuana River sewage crisis, the latest in a long line of agreements intended to accomplish the same.
Minute 333, as the agreement is called, leans more heavily on Mexico than previous partnerships and factors in growth in Tijuana in its infrastructure plans.
"Great progress has been made this year to achieve the 100% solution to the Tijuana River sewage crisis, but it would have all been for nothing if we don't take the appropriate steps to account for the inevitable population growth of Tijuana and surrounding areas," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. "We have set the framework for tremendous steps to be made, and we now look forward to very quickly hitting the ground running to implement the mutually agreed upon actions. I saw the frustration of San Diego area residents firsthand when I visited in April. I promised them a 100% solution to this issue, and the Trump EPA is doing its part to deliver."
Specifically, Minute 333 calls for:
— the creation of an account at the North America Development Bank which sets aside a portion of funds provided to Mexico to be held for future operations and maintenance costs;
— Mexico developing a Tijuana water infrastructure master plan within 6 months;
— a binational working group created within three months to assess the feasibility of constructing an underwater outfall pipe for the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant and assessing expanding the plant from 18.26 million gallons per day to 43.37 MGD;
— Mexico constructing a sediment basin in Matadero Canyon (also known as Smuggler's Gulch), prior to the 2026-2027 rainy season; and
— Mexico constructing the Tecolote-La Gloria Wastewater Treatment Plant with a capacity of 3 MGD by December 2028.
"We appreciate the current Administration's EPA and (U.S. and Mexican Sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission)'s timely efforts to move the needle forward on this issue of paramount importance," Imperial Beach Mayor Mitchell D. McKay said in a statement. "This strategic legal contract between the governments of Mexico and the United States contains measurable progress of necessary infrastructure projects — on both sides of the border — moving us closer toward a final 100% solution for our region's long-standing transboundary sewage crisis."
Since 2018, more than 200 billion gallons of toxic sewage, trash and unmanaged stormwater have flowed across the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley and neighboring communities, forcing long-lasting beach closures and causing harmful impacts on public health, the environment and water quality.
"A city greatly impacted by the millions of gallons of Tijuana Sewage flowing across our border, I am extremely grateful for the focus of the current administration on expediting additional infrastructure and treatment on both sides of the border," said Coronado Mayor John Duncan. "Coronado is extremely important to our nation's defense. The military bases here are home to the US Navy SEALs, three nuclear powered aircraft carriers and tens of thousands of Navy sailors and pilots."
Monday's signing of Minute 333 marks the United States' obligations under a memorandum of understanding between the two nations. The obligations include completing a 10 MGD expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, a 100-day review of all Minute 328 projects and issuing a quarterly public update on MOU implementation progress.
"The San Diego congressional delegation has worked to fix the very serious health danger of toxic wastewater flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border for years and we have secured hundreds of millions of dollars to fix and expand the aging plant," said Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego. "But Congress cannot do this alone; I am extremely grateful to Administrator Zeldin for his steadfast dedication to a 100% solution that upholds U.S. obligations and, most importantly, commits Mexico to build, maintain and fund the projects it must have to protect its people now, as well as future population growth.
"I very much value our partnership with Mexico, and my partnership with the administration to solve this crisis for San Diegans."
