Mexico and US Sign Landmark Deal to Tackle Tijuana Sewage Flows
Mexico has pledged $144 million toward sewage projects under a new treaty addition meant to end years of cross-border pollution that has shuttered South County beaches.
By Xiaoyu Wang ·
Officials from Mexico and the United States met at the edge of the Tijuana River Estuary on Thursday to sign an unprecedented agreement intended to resolve the long-running problem of sewage flowing across the border. Mexico has committed to investing $144 million in the effort.
The pollution has worsened for years. It drew fresh attention after two major sewage pipes in Tijuana's Matadero Canyon broke more than two weeks ago, sending tens of millions of gallons of untreated sewage over the border and into the ocean. One of the pipes has been repaired and is gradually being returned to service, while the other may not be fixed for roughly another month.
Those spills, together with sewage drifting north from Tijuana's malfunctioning San Antonio de los Buenas treatment plant, have kept South County beaches closed for much of the summer. Imperial Beach City Councilmember Paloma Aguirre called the situation "devastating" and noted that her community has endured nine weeks of closures. The beach north of the city's pier is normally open for swimming in summer when no rain washes sewage out to sea.
The documents signed Thursday are Treaty Minute 328, an addition to a 1944 water treaty between the two countries, and a statement of intent. Together they name specific projects meant to bring relief on both sides of the border. These include expanding a sewage treatment plant on the U.S. side, repairing Tijuana's treatment plant, and fixing sewage pipes in the Mexican city.
Adriana Reséndez Maldonado, the Mexican commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission, said the efforts are expected to address a need that has existed for many years in the San Diego-Tijuana communities. Mexican officials say the upgrades will improve quality of life on both sides of the border.
Many of the projects originated in a comprehensive review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency identified a set of projects that should nearly eliminate sewage reaching the ocean during dry weather, with a total price tag above $630 million. The EPA has secured $300 million through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement adopted during the Trump administration, and another $30 million will come from project funds dedicated to border pollution.
Congressman Scott Peters credited Mexico for "stepping up in this really significant way" and for sharing responsibility, adding that "we are one region."
Environmental reviews are already underway for some of the major projects, and construction on the expansion of the International Sewage Treatment Plant could start as early as 2024.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the commitments on projects and funding mean residents "don't have to wait too much longer." He said the work can reopen beaches for children on both sides of the border who have been denied the opportunity to enjoy them.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: KPBS
