The measures to remediate our sewage crisis at the state and federal levels move at a snail’s pace. There are options available to our local governments and agencies, and to voters.
Following are some proposals and some thoughts.
Otay Mesa II is a fourth Tijuana-San Diego border crossing scheduled to open in 2024 to 2026. Construction should be immediately suspended to show that we mean business.
Allowing more north-south traffic will in Tijuana stimulate more haphazard development with inadequate infrastructure and more sewage and trash on our beaches. We Norteamericanos should understand that the expected loud objections from our Mexican friends usually mean that we are doing something right.
Charge a toll to cross the border to establish a fund for the repair, maintenance, and capital investment needed to clean up and make the Tijuana River Valley a beautiful and desirable place as it once was: One of the best on the coast.
A toll is the best way to make our southerly neighbors pay for the problems they cause. History tells us that otherwise they will never do or maintain what is needed. It’s up to us.
Manage the fund by reviving an agency like the Tijuana River Valley Water District and empower it with concerned citizens such as Imperial Beach Councilman Mitchell McKay, who shares thoughts of the local visionary Leon Benham.
Add both of them and others from Coronado, Nestor, South San Diego and the eastside. The fund will obviate the need for us to crawl on our knees to the state and feds for money when the inevitable crises occur.
Vote out the incumbent politicians who have not prioritized this.
There is at least one known death from brain infection in a surfer due to inhalation of sea water at the Tijuana River mouth.
A clean environment is among the most fundamental goals of government. South of Point Loma we seethe in poop while many of our incumbents like to contemplate the end of the world and hyperventilate about climatic computer models and esoterica (and the appurtenant tax money bonanzas).
They have been silent or have pretty much ignored our unique international issue. It’s fundamental. It’s harming us. They should have been all over it, for years. Get rid of them.
Clarify the use of PCR method versus traditional bacteria counts.
My understanding is that right now bacteria count via PCR analysis is done only south of Point Loma; to the north public health still uses the traditional bacteria colony count method. The question is, are people in south county subject to a grand experiment which is resulting in falsely high bacteria counts? Maybe not, but there should be an answer.
Ocean currents. The general understanding is that there are two currents: A prevailing north-south flow along the North American coast and a lesser south-north littoral one along Southern California.
A better understanding of the intricacies is needed. The Mexicans dump millions of gallons of raw sewage at Punta Banderas, 10 miles south of central Imperial Beach and 20 miles south of Coronado.
Those distances are great, and it is an unimaginably big, wild ocean. Intuition says that very little of that reaches here.
The problem is in the river valley.
Dr. John Morton of Coronado was a doctor in Nestor for 28 years and has about 50 years of experience in the medical field.
