SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA — California elected officials on Wednesday welcomed the International Boundary and Water Commission’s announcement that it has awarded a contract for a project to expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Over the course of the project, the IBWC will utilize over $400 million in federal funds secured by the Congressional delegation to repair and expand the power plant.

“Today’s announcement for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant is a step in the right direction to seriously address the problem of toxic waste and sewage discharges from the Tijuana River,” said Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

“The health and environmental hazards caused by this pollution have contaminated Southern California’s air and water for too long, and I will work to increase federal resources to address this crisis with the urgency it deserves.”

In March, San Diego’s congressional delegation approved more than $156 million in funding for critical repairs to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In 2019, the delegation secured $300 million to expand the South Bay facility from 25 million gallons per day to 50 million gallons per day. In 2022, the delegation passed legislation allowing the IBWC to use the funds to combat harmful pollutants in the Tijuana River Valley.

“Our communities can’t wait. I’m pleased that the IBWC is taking this important step that will allow them to use the more than $400 million my colleagues and I secured for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant for repairs and upgrades,” said Rep. Juan Vargas, Democrat of San Diego. “This project will help double the plant’s capacity, stop up to 90% of untreated wastewater from reaching the coast, and provide cleaner, safer water.”

“I will continue to fight alongside the San Diego congressional delegation to secure the necessary funding to combat pollution in the Tijuana River Valley, to ensure that Mexico does its part, and to ensure that our water, land and air are safe for all,” he said.

In May 2024, elected officials requested that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigate the pollutants in water, soil, and air caused by the wastewater and the connection to reported increases in illnesses and other symptoms. The CDC has agreed to launch an investigation into the public health impacts of Tijuana River sewage pollution.

“This announcement has been a long time coming – and I am thrilled that the $400 million our congressional delegation secured is leading to major, meaningful progress in ending the crisis in the Tijuana River Valley,” said Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs of San Diego. “Our work is not over, and we will continue to monitor the progress of the IBWC construction, work with our Mexican counterparts, and work together to ensure communities on both sides of the border can live safely.”

City news service