Mexico's wastewater plant repair slows sewage pollution in San Diego
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Mexico's Punta Bandera Wastewater Treatment Plant has been repaired and is back up and running at full capacity, helping to stop some of the sewage from entering the Pacific Ocean in southern San Diego County, and the South Bay community is starting to return to the beaches after the polluted water signs have begun coming down.
The Punta Bandera Wastewater Treatment Plant — known as the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant — is located six miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana.
EPA administrator tours Tijuana River Valley, address sewage crisis
Coronado Mayor John Duncan has confirmed the wastewater plant has been repaired after the Mexican government, in coordination with the International Boundary and Water Commission, took over the reconstruction of the dilapidated plant that has been contributing to the pollution at southern San Diego beaches from Imperial Beach to the Hotel del Coronado for years.
The Mexican military completed the rebuild project in about a year. It was initially slated to be finished in the fall of 2024, but was finalized in April 2025, according to Duncan.
'Historic day' as ground is broken on sewage treatment facility south of the border
Unless it breaks down again, the plant at Punta Bandera will remove 18 million gallons of raw sewage from entering the Pacific Ocean everyday, but that is only a fraction of what's been flowing across the border daily for years.
Now, with 18 million gallons being treated across the border in Mexico, and 25 million being treated on the United States side, things appear to be changing.
The pollution signs in Coronado were removed Tuesday, and people were swimming and surfing in the Pacific Ocean in an area that has been closed on and off for several years.
Free air purifiers available for South Bay residents: Here's how to apply
Tijuana River the second most endangered river in US in 2025
County launches new interactive map of Tijuana River sewage impacts
Before San Diegans head to the beach anywhere in the county, they can check the water quality at sdbeachinfo.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
an hour ago
- Eater
The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: June 9
The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we're always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here's the very best of everything the team has eaten this week. Vietnamese-style lomo saltado from Nam Kitchen in Gardena Over the past year, I've determined that Nam Kitchen has become the South Bay's best overall casual Vietnamese restaurant thanks to stellar pho and a handful of creative dishes like this Vietnamese-Peruvian fusion lomo saltado. The kitchen takes slightly sweet soy flavors of bo luc lac and tosses them with classic lomo saltado ingredients of red onion, tomato, and French fries, topping them with cilantro and serving with a side of creamy aji verde and a mound of white rice. The tenderloin pieces are as easy to eat as marshmallows, savory and covered with black pepper. Frankly, this could be one of the best lomo saltado preparations anywhere in the city, and it'll be something I crave. Nam Kitchen's other fusion dishes are worth exploring, but even the pho đặc biệt is top-notch, piled high with quality beef and a spice-laden broth. 1530 Artesia Boulevard, Gardena, CA 90248. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Steak tacos from MidEast Tacos in Silver Lake Silver Lake is lucky to be the home of MidEast Tacos, an Armenian-Mexican taco restaurant from Mini Kabob's Armen Martirosyan. Operating out of a brick-lined corner space along Sunset Boulevard, right across from the former 99 Cent store, the restaurant serves up toum-topped tacos, crispy potatoes with Aleppo pepper, and burritos stuffed with marinated chicken. But for me, the best way to experience MidEast Tacos is with the simple steak taco, with a corn tortilla instead of the flour tortilla it comes with. The steak is reminiscent of the flavors of Mini Kabob's own beef, with a slightly smoky and well-spiced profile. The meat is chopped to a size reminiscent of a street taco, just large enough to get the entire flavor without it being overwhelming. A size of crispy papas brings the entire meal home, which is best enjoyed at one of the tables on the sidewalk. 3536 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Spicy salami pie from Little Goat Pizza House in Glendale As a Northeast LA resident who loves grubbing on pizza from the comfort of my home, my options are often limited. Especially when comparing neighborhoods that are flush with celebrated pizza spots, I frequent the same restaurants more often than I care to admit. That doesn't serve my job very well, so after branching out into Glendale, I took home two pies from the Little Goat Pizza House. The results were worthy of a return, particularly the spicy salami pie. Though the margherita was respectable, the combination of the Neapolitan-style crust covered in San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, garlic, tarragon, and a respectable amount of spicy honey made my day. I assumed my patented pizza-consuming position next to the low coffee table, opened the box, and dug in. I was impressed by the consistency of the beautifully leavened sourdough placed in a wood-fired oven. I will happily sit down on-site and consume it hot out of the oven next time. It tasted perfect the following morning for breakfast. 942 N. Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA, 91202. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Whole grilled branzino from Zinqué in Century City Of all the homegrown restaurants in Los Angeles, I didn't peg stylish French hangout Zinqué to become a fast-growing chain. Armed with key locations in West Hollywood, Downtown, and more recently in Century City, the restaurant has grown to Scottsdale, Westlake Village, and even its spiritual homeland of Paris, France. Given its prime locations, I'm starting to see Zinqué as a viable alternative to places like Cheesecake Factory or Houston's, serving reliable if sometimes predictable food with generous portions. Zinqué's strength isn't in innovation, but rather in serving high-quality ingredients without much fuss. Their charcuterie board is ample and quite good, while their mushroom bucatini could've used a touch more salt. The bistro burger is delightful and satisfying for meat-and-potato types. The whole-grilled branzino gets a gorgeous golden brown interior and a hefty pile of shaved fennel and arugula. For $45, they serve a fish big enough for the table to share. And the branzino was juicy, fresh, and nicely seasoned, the dry-herb chimichurri bringing a vegetal punch when needed. You could see why Zinqué has mass appeal, an easy option for fussy palates and large groups. 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Center rescues 6 endangered Mexican wolf pups
ST. LOUIS – The Endangered Wolf Center in St. Louis announced that it rescued six endangered Mexican Wolf Pups on May 5. The Mexican wolf, according to the center, is a keystone species, as less than 300 exist in the wild. In a conservation effort for the species, the center said the pups—which were 10 days old—were flown to New Mexico. They plan for the pups to be fostered by two wild packs. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now According to the Endangered Wolf Center, a pup foster is a conservation initiative that seeks to increase genetic diversity. 'This year was a special pup foster to help facilitate, because the pack is very genetically valuable. The father of these pups was actually born from artificial insemination back in 2017, so getting his genetics back into the landscape is a huge conservation win,' said Sarah Holaday, director of Animal Care and Conservation at the Endangered Wolf Center. The center hopes that the six pups will possess the essential traits needed to help the endangered species. Ever since 2016, the organization has fostered over 52 captive-born pups. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Mexican naval vessel that struck Brooklyn Bridge towed across East River for repairs
NEW YORK — The Mexican naval vessel that struck the Brooklyn Bridge last month was towed across the East River to the Brooklyn Navy Yard early Friday, where it will be dry-docked and repaired, city officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard set up a 'safety zone' in the East River Friday morning so the ARM Cuauhtémoc could be slowly towed to its new berth, city Office of Emergency Management officials said. Two crew members died on the ship when its masts snapped off upon striking the underside of the iconic East River span on May 17. Crew members on the masts were left dangling in the air by their harnesses after the East River crash, but no one ended up in the water, video of the horrific crash showed. After leaving the pier, the ship accelerated backward, ultimately reaching a speed of about 6 knots, NTSB Investigator in Charge Brian Young said last month. 'At 8:24 p.m., the VHF radio broadcast was sounded requesting assistance from other tugboats in the area of the bridge,' Young said. 'At 8:24 and 45 seconds, the vessel's masts struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge.' The bridge avoided serious damage and was never at risk of collapse, officials said. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board was still investigating what caused the crash, but engine failure coupled with strong currents is suspected. The safety zone on Friday caused minor delays on the Staten Island Ferry toward lower Manhattan, but the Cuauhtémoc was docked by the Brooklyn Navy Yard by 7:30 a.m., officials said. 'Relocating a naval vessel by tow through an active waterway required detailed planning, unified command, and constant communication,' OEM said on X. The ship was heading for Iceland when it drifted into the East River span, which is about 30 feet lower than the ship's masts. It was supposed to head south to refuel in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, before heading out of New York Harbor and was never meant to sail under the bridge. According to the FDNY, at least 19 of those aboard were treated for injuries, with 11 initially in critical condition. The deceased were identified as America Yamilet Sanchez, 20, and Adal Jair Marcos, 23.
