California leaders have called on the new EPA administrator to address a long-standing public health issue caused by pollution in the Tijuana River. EPA’s Administrator, Lee Zeldin, expressed dismay over the pollution seeping into San Diego border communities and causing frequent beach closures. Zeldin called out Mexico for dumping raw sewage into the river and demanded that they take action.
Following Zeldin’s post, a transboundary flow of contaminated water entered the U.S. on March 9, resulting from construction issues in a Tijuana wastewater pipe project. The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission confirmed the stoppage of the flows later that day.
The ongoing project to replace Tijuana’s largest wastewater conveyance pipe, plagued by leaks, is funded by the U.S., Mexico, and a Mexican bank. The USIBWC is closely monitoring the project to prevent future issues.
California leaders have urged the EPA chief to intervene, emphasizing the need for federal funding for infrastructure repair and expansion. The EPA’s decision to deny a Superfund designation for the Tijuana River Valley is under review, following pressure from local officials. Mayor Paloma Aguirre of Imperial Beach has appealed to Zeldin for a reconsideration of the Superfund designation and invited him to witness the crisis firsthand. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
A Decades-Long Crisis
The majority of the Tijuana River’s 120-mile course is within the northern Baja California state of Mexico, and only about five miles of its lower end crosses the border from Tijuana to San Diego and empties into the Pacific Ocean.
