IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — A violation notice was issued to the International Boundary and Water Commission over complaints about the sewage smell in the South Bay.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) issued the notice to the International Boundary and Water Commission on Monday.
According to the SDAPCD, over 150 complaints about an odor were received over a three-day period. Their investigation found that the IBWC failed to maintain the Hollister Wastewater Pump Station.
The SDAPCD said the pump stopped working on July 16 and discharged about 300,000 gallons of untreated wastewater.
Residents of Imperial Beach said they are fed up with the ongoing problem.
Morri Chowaiki owns and lives on an oceanfront property in the city. He said it was always his dream to live by the beach, but now the smell is washing away that dream.
Chowaiki said his daughter, who is visiting from Israel, was forced to leave his house because the smell got so bad.
"She walked out of the room crying and dry heaving and actually ended up throwing up, and she was like, 'What is this? I can’t stay here,'" said Chowaiki.
Chowaiki said he doesn't care who's to blame for the problem but thinks it should be declared a state of emergency to be corrected quickly.
He told ABC 10News he's already looking for another place to live if the situation doesn't improve.
CalEnviroScreen, a mapping toolcreated by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, helps to identify California communities, as well as those residing in these communities, that may be affected by various types of pollution.
The infographic below used the latest data from CalEnviroScreen4.0, which COEHHA released in Oct. 2021.
The IBWC sent ABC 10News the following statement regarding the notice of violation:
"We are reviewing the notice we received on July 29, 2024. The USIBWC is committed to making sure the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant complies with all federal, state, and local laws while we repair, rehabilitate, and expand the facility to address issues related to transboundary flows originating in Tijuana."
