County warns work on Border sewage system could temporarily increase flows, odors
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), County of San Diego and the county Air Pollution Control District are warning South Bay residents that wastewater flows and odors might increase in the coming days as the next phase of work on a sewer line in Mexico is expected to begin on Tuesday.
The second and final phase of work on the connection of the new International Collector sewer line in Mexico will begin on May 13 and could temporarily increase wastewater flows to the U.S., according to the IBWC.
The work is expected to take about a week to complete.
The sewer line being worked on moves untreated wastewater to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (ITP) in the U.S. and the San Antonio de los Buenos Plant in Mexico.
EPA head discusses visit to San Diego on Tijuana River sewage crisis
The IBWC says the completion of the sewer line is critical for preventing potential catastrophic failures and increasing the reliability of Tijuana's wastewater infrastructure.
If the wastewater flows do increase, it could cause an increase in odors in San Diego's South Bay neighborhoods near the Tijuana River Valley, according to the Air Pollution Control District, and could also increase the pollution levels at South Bay beaches.
The US International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) said it has been working with Mexico to mitigate wastewater spills as much as possible and have coordinated bypass lines to pump as much wastewater as possible to the ITP.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) monitors odor complaints and hydrogen sulfide levels for communities near the Tijuana River Valley.
County launches new interactive map of Tijuana River sewage impacts
If the odors continue, SDAPCD says South Bay residents near the Tijuana River Valley can take the following precautions to reduce exposure to the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) odors:
Limit outdoor activities if you smell strong odors
Keep doors and windows closed to prevent odor from coming indoors. Air out your home or building when odor is not present
Use air conditioning if available and/or indoor air purifiers. Filters with activated charcoal are recommended.
People with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other chronic lung conditions should have their rescue medication(s) readily available.
If symptoms from strong odor persists, are worrisome, or worsen, seek medical care.
Residents in South Bay communities near the Tijuana River Valley impacted by the odors from the sewage flows at the U.S.-Mexico border can apply for a free air purifier part of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District's (SDAPCD) AIRE Program.
On Friday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin took to X following his Earth Day visit to San Diego to say, 'This week, EPA transmitted to Mexico a proposed '100% solution' that would PERMANENTLY END the decades-old crisis of raw sewage flowing in to the U.S. from Mexico. Next, technical groups from both nations will be meeting to work through the details necessary to hopefully reach an urgent agreement.'
Tijuana River the second most endangered river in US in 2025
More information on the ongoing pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and South County beach water is available from the SDAPCD, IBWC and the County's dedicated South Region Health Concerns webpage.
The County also recently launched an interactive online dashboard and map displaying current environmental conditions in South County including beach water quality and sewage odor data.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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