The Tijuana River has been plagued with raw wastewater and industrial waste from Tijuana for decades, venturing the beaches along the border between the United States and Mexico with contaminated water and sending foul odors that extend through the communities in San Diego County.
On Wednesday, the American Rivers Environmental Group Classified the Tijuana River No. 2 on its annual list of nations The most endangered riversNO. 9 on the list last year. The group said that the river raised on the list, just behind the Mississippi River of first classification, to attract more attention to chronic river pollution problems and lack of action to clean it.
Activists with another group, Surfrider Foundation, are also circulating a request Asking that President Trump declare a national emergency to accelerate efforts to curb the non -treated wastewater flow and clean the river.
Kevin Hogan, resident of the Valley of the Tijuana River, explains why the Tijuana River cannot flow due to excessive growth of vegetation.
(Hayne Palmour IV / For Times)
“The Tijuana River has gone from being a pollution problem to being a public health crisis. Raising the Tijuana River in our in danger list reflects that urgency,” said Ann Willis, regional director of California at American Rivers. “What we need is for the Trump administration to make a federal emergency statement. This would release funds to address some of the correct problems now.”
The administrator of the EPA, Lee Zeldin, responded to the announcement of the river classification in a statement sent by email, saying that “the raw wastewater that flows from Mexico to the Tijuana River are creating serious and harmful problems for communities with affected river paths.”
“Ensure that the United States waters are clean is part of the central mission of the EPA, and I hope to be on the ground in San Diego in a few days to evaluate the situation and listen directly to those affected,” said Zeldin. “It is the most important to know that the problem persists, more and more Seal of the Navy remain at risk of disease due to the contaminated river paths they train. I firmly believe that the time has come to end and implement and the urgency of the users”
In addition to more funds from the US government to repair and maintain wastewater treatment facilities that are registered regularly, environmental groups asked that Mexico take additional measures to set wastewater leaks and make improvements.
They noticed that Mexico Haas made progress in recent years. Tijuana recently Complete construction of a new wastewater treatment plant In the area of San Antonio de los Buenos, a project is part of a larger infrastructure plan developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
“We need both federal governments to step on and do more,” said Sarah Davidson, Manager of the Clean Border Water Now program of Surfrider. “It will require cooperation through the border. It will require diplomacy and long -term funds of both governments, so it is necessary to find those ways to work with the Mexican government too.”
The resident of Tijuana River Valley, Derek Spencer, who grew in the area, is near a message painted with aerosol next to the Tijuana River.
(Hayne Palmour IV / For Times)
Willis said that the United States government funds are necessary to fix the International South Bay treatment plant north of the border, which manages the wastewater of Tijuana and is in poor condition, as well as measures such as pollution monitoring and health studies.
“The contamination of the Tijuana River is transported not only in the river, but it moves to the air when the river flows to the ocean, and the dew of the ocean converts pollution into a spray,” said Willis. “This is creating a public health crisis, not only for local communities, but also for our military.”
A park sign warns against contaminated water in the Valley of the Tijuana River in San Diego.
(Hayne Palmour IV / For Times)
The environmental group cited a recent Department of Defense Report Showing that around 1,100 cases of diseases between Navy Seal and other service members who were exposed to high levels of bacteria were reported when they trained in and around the ocean near the border.
The Tijuana River flows 120 miles, starting in Baja California and crossing southern California, then reaching the Pacific Ocean on the Imperial Beach. The beaches near the mouth of the river and the drain of the wastewater treatment plant have been closed regularly Because or high levels or bacteria In the ocean.
Residents have also raised groups on possible health effects on High levels or hydrogen sulphide and other gases and vapors that emanate from the river.
“This is one of the greatest crisis of environmental justice and public health in our country,” said Davidson. “It is similar to other environmental catastrophes, such as the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and in other places, and we really only need more awareness, more pressure, more prioritization in our federal government to obtain financing on the subject of us.” “”
While we have a river press conference on Wednesday, Davidson and others used respirators to protect themselves from air pollution.
“It is really affecting all aspects of community life for those communities in and near the Valley of the Tijuana River,” Davidson said. “So it is a fairly desperate situation, and we really only need all the help we can get from all at all levels of government.”
