IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif.—When the sunrise hit Imperial Beach, it illuminated a line of signs along the shore warning beachgoers to avoid contact with the water, as the faint scent of rotten eggs hung in the morning air.
“Most people just find waves to ride more north of here nowadays,” local surfer Jani Garcia, 39, told The Epoch Times as she out at the warning signs.
“But as you can see, there’s still a few guys out who will take the risk, and in better surf conditions I might do the same,” she said with a smile.
Just a few days later, much of the beach re-opened on Sept. 23 after being closed for over 1,015 days, allowing local surfers to finally return to their “home break” without fear of citations.
However, this doesn’t mean the health risk is gone, according to local officials.
Earlier this month, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to continue a local emergency declaration due to high levels of pollution and sewage from the Tijuana River. The board first approved an emergency proclamation in June 2023.
Around 17 miles south of downtown San Diego, the Tijuana River crosses from Tijuana, Mexico, into the United States border city of San Ysidro and drains into the Pacific Ocean just south of Imperial Beach.
River Crisis
Over the past five years, more than 100 billion gallons of untreated sewage and industrial waste have flowed into California waters from the Tijuana River, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission.“We are very concerned about the high flows and sediment entering the United States from Mexico in the Tijuana River,” International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) spokesperson Frank Fisher told The Epoch Times.
“It’s no secret the residents have been suffering a long time, especially in Imperial Beach, [and] this is what drives us to expand the South Bay [treatment] plant, and at the same time pressure Mexico to improve its wastewater infrastructure.”
The South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of the facilities assisting in sewage treatment, and it’s just one part of the solution to decreasing the pollution that enters the United States.
On the Mexican side of the border, a pump station located in Tijuana, which has the task of diverting sewage to before reaching treatment stations in the United States along the Tijuana River, only recently began functioning again this month after receiving upgrades to the facility, said officials.
“Infrastructure improvements are needed to stem the [sewage] flows, [and] this is not something local government can manage,” San Diego County Communications Officer for the Land Use and Environmental Group Donna Durckel told The Epoch Times.
“Ocean pollution related to the [Tijuana] River sewage flows is under the jurisdiction of the Federal government and International Boundary and Water Commission.”
“Local researchers and government agencies have identified 392 organic chemical and inorganic elements, many of which are known to be persistent, bio-accumulative, carcinogenic, [and] toxic” in both the water and the air, according to the letter.
One year prior, Newsom sent a letter to the California Coastal Commission declaring that condition of the Tijuana River was a “crisis,” but not worthy of an emergency declaration, according to the mayors.
Health Concerns
According to the mayor of Imperial Beach, pollution-related sickness has been on the rise in the beach community of roughly 26,000, along with the contaminated water flowing from the Tijuana River onto the California coastline.“This river contains industrial waste, residential waste, agriculture waste, slaughterhouse waste—everything goes into the river and it’s getting worse,” Mayor Paloma Aguirre told The Epoch Times.
“As we look at our data we have collected, there is empirical evidence showing that there’s contamination in the soil, water, and even in the air with toxic gases that include hydrogen sulfide.”
According to Aguirre, residents in Imperial Beach and neighboring towns are reporting a higher rate of medical issues due to the river’s pollution, including gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.
“Even as I’m speaking with you, I’m fighting off a migraine right now,” Aguirre said. “Migraines are now common [among] our residents and city staff which can traced back to the [Tijuana] River’s offset of hydrogen sulfides.”
“These gases seem to have their biggest impact between the hours of 12 to 6 a.m. for both Imperial Beach and neighboring communities according to research that has been done on this issue,” Aguirre told The Epoch Times.
“This is a health issue that concerns not just Imperial Beach but many others throughout San Diego.”
Meanwhile, earlier this month, San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas said the air quality in the area does not pose a public health threat, despite the foul odors and elevated levels of gases.
Pollution Continues
On the banks of the Tijuana River, the foul scent of rotten eggs grew stronger as the rising sun heated its waters, surrounded by heaps of trash within sight of the United States border wall and Tijuana city skyline.According to Imperial Beach city officials, a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been dispatched to investigate the health concerns created by the Tijuana River local to the area in the coming days.
“It’s the first time the CDC has ever come to San Diego, is my understanding,” Aguirre told The Epoch Times.
“This crisis has permeated to San Diego’s communities, [and] what matters is that people’s health and lives are at risk.”
