Staff Reports
The Tijuana River sewage crisis finally has a real progress report from Washington — but progress on paper is not the same as clean water at our beaches. The EPA’s latest quarterly update says U.S. money is flowing and Mexico has started work on key projects. Yet ruptured pipelines and raw sewage still foul Imperial Beach, Coronado and the Silver Strand. That gap between promises and the smell in the air is why the U.S. must press harder, not pat backs and wait.
EPA update shows steps forward — and why that matters
In its recent quarterly update, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin framed the effort as an urgent, enforceable push toward a “100% solution.” The report says Mexico met funding commitments, the U.S. released Border Water Infrastructure Program money, and construction began on Pump Station PB‑1 and the Tijuana River Gates. Those projects should increase pumping capacity and cut flows to the river in Phase 1 by roughly 5 million gallons per day, with planning for larger treatment capacity also under way. That’s real infrastructure work, and it matters — if it’s finished and maintained.
But ruptures keep spilling millions of gallons — and the public pays
Progress on projects hasn’t stopped big failures. In May, the Parallel Gravity Line ruptured repeatedly and weekend flows jumped from about 10 million gallons a day to roughly 34 million gallons. Those are not small leaks; they are sudden tsunamis of raw or partially treated sewage headed into the river and across the border. Local air monitors recorded dangerous hydrogen sulfide levels. Beaches were closed, residents got sick or nauseous, and businesses lost customers every time a rupture hit.
Health, tourism, and local economies are on the line
San Diego County had to warn people away from swimming and even distributed air purifiers when sewer‑gas smells spiked. Places like Imperial Beach and Coronado — once packed with tourists and surfers — now post warning signs when flows surge. Patrick McDonough of San Diego Coastkeeper summed it up bluntly: “Unfortunately, we routinely receive email updates about ruptures or damage to infrastructure in the Tijuana wastewater system that leads to these high flows or spill events.” That ongoing damage undercuts any claim that the problem is solved.
Ratchet up the pressure: what Washington should do next
The U.S. has rightly moved from negotiation to enforcement and transparency. But talk and project starts alone won’t stop the next spill. Washington should use every lawful lever to ensure timely completion and durable maintenance: rigorous IBWC oversight, conditional funding tied to milestones, public reporting, and even exploring trade or treaty tools already on the table if Mexico drags its feet. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and SEMARNAT can and should deliver faster results. If Mexico wants U.S. cooperation, it must meet obligations on the ground — not only on paper.
Progress is welcome and the EPA update is proof the bilateral plan can work. Still, until beaches stay open and the air stops smelling like a sewer, residents and businesses will have every right to demand more than promises. Washington should keep funding and oversight, but also ratchet up pressure until the Tijuana River no longer threatens our coast. No one wants to watch Coronado’s sand turn into a caution tape line — especially not at taxpayer expense.
