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EPA Wants to Spend $300 Million for Border Sewage Problem

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed spending $300 million to address the problem of toxic sewage flowing across the border into San Diego County, legislators announced Tuesday.

The money would be part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and will be used for the engineering, planning, design and construction of wastewater infrastructure at the border, officials said.

“San Diegans have suffered too long from the regular flow of raw sewage into our country from Mexico. With the full $300 million, the EPA can now lead a comprehensive and coordinated effort with the local community to build much-needed wastewater infrastructure for the region,” read a joint statement from Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, Reps. Susan Davis, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas, all D-San Diego, and Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano. “The health and safety of California’s border communities must be a top priority for everyone involved. We will continue to work with local communities, the state and federal agencies to finally bring some relief to San Diego County.”

Huge Border Sewage Spills Underscore Need to Keep Solution Moving Forward

When it rains in Tijuana, it pours sewage. That’s been the reality for decades and recent storms hit the border area hard. It’s a reminder that while energy and attention have been focused on trying to rein in the coronavirus pandemic, other big problems remain.

Port of San Diego Adopts Resolution Urging Federal Action on Tijuana River Valley Pollution

The Port of San Diego has adopted a joint resolution recommending actions for the federal government to take to eliminate transboundary flows in the Tijuana River Valley. The Port is the state-designated trustee of public resources in and around Imperial Beach, which includes the ocean waters just off the Imperial Beach Pier, an area that is frequently impacted by toxic, sewage polluted water.

Tijuana River Toxic Sewer Sludge Dangerous For Migrants and Border Agents: Border Patrol

Border Patrol agents say human smugglers are exploiting the Tijuana River Valley culvert system meant to drain raw sewage at the U.S.-Mexico border; putting agents, emergency responders and migrants at risk for drowning and exposure to highly toxic substances.

Border Report: Region Re-Ups Pleas for Federal Help With Border Sewage

San Diego officials are continuing to pressure the federal government to fix the border region’s sewage issues.

Last week, the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Coronado and San Diego, as well as San Diego County, Port of San Diego, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board and the California State Lands Commission, passed resolutions to recommend federal action on cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.

Tijuana is built into hillsides, where rainwater — or sewage when the wastewater system fails — naturally drains toward the U.S.-Mexico border and into the Pacific Ocean.

8 Million Gallons Of Tainted Water Foul Tijuana River Valley

The United States-Mexico border region is enduring the latest in a series of massive cross-border sewage tainted spills.

Federal officials in charge of monitoring the trans-border sewage situation on the U.S. side of the border said nearly 8 million gallons of tainted water flowed crossed the border in the Tijuana River channel.

The flow crossed the border from 7 p.m. Sunday evening through 10 a.m. Monday.

U.S. Mayors Adopt Resolution Calling for Increased Funding for Cross-border Sewage Solutions

The U.S. Conference of Mayors joined Coronado and San Diego today in calling for increased federal funding to tackle Mexico river pollution that plagues San Diego County beaches and other communities along the southern U.S. border.