SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Those tasked with solving the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis have a message for those who have been living and dealing with it for decades.
“This is the first time there is a plan shared between the United States and Mexico to reduce transboundary flows,” Dr. Maria Elena Giner of the U.S. International Boundary & Water Commission (USIBWC) said.
Giner is the commissioner of the USIBWC, which runs the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
When she mentions transboundary flows, she means the rain and sewage water that flows into the Tijuana River Valley.
The most recent incident happened on Sunday, which Giner said was mainly stormwater.
She said a pair of construction issues happened on a project to create a new pipeline in Mexico to bring sewage to treatment plants in the U.S. and Mexico.
While it may seem like another issue on a project or piece of infrastructure - that Giner says both phases will now be finished by April - it’s not necessarily deja vu like some may feel.
“These issues that are happening will only make the system more resilient and likely avoid future transboundary flows that could happen from the catastrophic failure of the wastewater; of the old collector,” Giner said.
Giner said the agency is having daily meetings with Mexico on how to prevent sewage from coming into the United States amid the ongoing projects and commends the attention by Mexico.
“This governor’s that’s there now, she is investing in all of this work. She is advocating for the state to get the funding to invest in all of this work.”
Another acknowledgement of the crisis ca,e from Washington D.C. and new EPA administrator Lee Zeldin.
As we reported, Zeldin posted on social media, calling the sewage crisis unacceptable.
“We’re grateful for him raising attention on this and, as a result, it holds us all accountable. And it holds us all more motivated to get this resolved,” Giner said.
