Current and former Imperial Beach residents can agree that a foul scent of sewage makes living in the southern coastal community unpleasant.
Beginning in August, South Bay Urgent Care Doctors Kimberly Sheker Dickson and Matthew Dickson noticed a spike in cases of diarrhea and have since tracked severe infections and gastrointestinal issues among their patients, which they believe is a result of airborne and direct water contact with the sewage pollution contaminating local beaches.
The Coronado News for all of 2023 has investigated a nearly century-long legacy of broken promises by U.S. and Mexican officials that have resulted in millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing regularly into the Pacific Ocean.
Promises, Promises: A documentary on the Tijuana sewage crisis
In October, the doctors took to a California Coastal Commission meeting regarding the Tijuana River Pollution Crisis to report a 560% increase in diarrheal illness among their patient population following significant rain weather during Tropical Storm Hilary, a boil water advisory and sewage spills on Hollister Street.
“The amount of gastrointestinal illness goes way up. You can just see the correlation, poop in the water, people getting sick,” said Dickson. “We went from the low point of five cases a week up to 34 cases a week.”
Now the Dicksons are set to collaborate with local university researchers to examine clinical data expected to determine if patients’ stool DNA matches sensor-collected sewage and air DNA.
Air sensors, storm recover plan in place to help with sewage crisis
“Our goal is to draw as much attention so that people aren’t getting sick… If there are any deaths related to it, those are preventable deaths—that’s the scary part.”
Dr. Kimberly Sheker Dickson
“We’ll continue to work with UCSD researchers,” said Sheker Dickson. “Our goal is to draw as much attention so that people aren’t getting sick and so that the funding is there to fix the problem… If there are any deaths related to it, those are preventable deaths—that’s the scary part.”
In tracking patient data from the months of June through September, the doctors are certain an upcoming El Niño year is expected to bring increasing numbers of similar health cases.
El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific ocean that happens every two to seven years, according to the National Weather Service.
“I hope this helps Tijuana too. All the people there are exposed to the same stuff,” said Dickson. “The people in Tijuana have done nothing wrong. They’re suffering the same as we are. So I would love to see this help both sides of the border.”
Highlighting air quality concerns for local residents, the healthcare professionals believe a federal state of emergency can bring a genuine solution that goes beyond expanding the wastewater treatment plant capacity in San Ysidro.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation work at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant continues.
“This past year 2023 was a tough one, but we are ending on a high note with $10M in upgrades to the SBIWTP and another $8M to follow,” wrote IBWC Area Operations Manager Morgan Rogers in a Dec. 28 email. “Next year we will see continued improvements at the SBIWTP towards permit compliance as well as further progress with our plant expansion project.”
The International Boundary & Water Commission reports that flows in December totaled 1.6 million gallons (BG) and flows in 2023 total 40.5 BG with a 22.82 million gallons per day (MGD) five-day average at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“The mom in me worries,” added Sheker Dickson. “The kids who go to school eight hours a day here, …They’re right along the Tijuana River, and they’re being exposed to this several hours a day, five days a week.”
Poor air and water affects livelihoods
One Mar Vista High School student told The Coronado News she learned about the sewage crisis last year from her parents following local news reports.
“The air… You feel it, and you also smell the nastiness.”
Xiomary Fuentes
“The air is just not good,” said 15-year-old Xiomary Fuentes, describing the air she smells before school each morning. “You feel it, and you also smell the nastiness.”
‘Dear Mr. President, We need your help’
Viviane Marquez-Waller, who first arrived at Imperial Beach in the 1980s, decided to prioritize her health in November by moving to Carlsbad after weeks of gastrointestinal issues which she said mirrored up to 80 of her neighbors.
Waller, who previously lived along Seacoast Drive, said “contaminated water was the last straw” for her, amid conversations with locals about E. coli traces.
“We shouldn’t be begging for this. This is the federal government’s responsibility. It’s their job, it’s their equipment, it’s their facility,” said Waller. “I don’t see how the environment could be more affected than it is right now.”
Following the sewage issue for more than five years, she considers the water crisis extends to inadequate tap water testing procedures across Imperial Beach, and Waller shared these concerns during public comment at the October Coastal Commission meeting.
“I don’t know how much closer we can be to the same situation as Tijuana…contaminated water in our ocean, contaminated water in our estuary, contaminated water in our drinking water and the smell,” said Waller.
“We struggle…we grab water from a pipe”
In her role as a wildlife biologist and a former resident, Waller said she plans to continue advocating for solutions to the ongoing health crisis and believes doctors Dicksons’ work to be “monumental in getting the word out.”
“They did a huge service because they’re an authority that have data, that have a passion for IB,” said Waller.
During a visit to Coronado, Rep. Scott Peters told The Coronado News that previous funding has been allocated for studies regarding sewage-related health effects.
U.S. Congressman Scott Peters speaks at Optimist Club meeting
Now Peters continues to urge congress to support President Biden’s request for $310 million for repairs at the South Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“It’s the advocacy by the locals that has made this our top priority in Congress.”
U.S. Rep. Scott Peters
“The most important thing is to get that funding,” said Peters. “It’s the advocacy by the locals that has made this our top priority in Congress.”
