The Coronado City Council declared a local emergency over the cross-border sewage pollution crisis and instructed municipal staff to draft a resolution for official signing – potentially as soon as the next regular meeting.
The council had previously declined to pursue a declaration of emergency, arguing that it would only be a symbolic move, rather than affecting any actual change. However, in a Jan. 6 letter addressed to the council, Mayor John Duncan and Council member Amy Steward stated their intent to direct staff to prepare a resolution.
At the Feb. 4 City Council meeting, Duncan said he understood arguments about how a declaration of local emergency doesn’t necessarily change things – he was one of the council members who voted against the proposition at a previous meeting. However, this time around he said a declaration will make advocacy easier.
Coronado has been receiving outflow from Tijuana for almost a century, when in 1934, the United States and Mexican governments instructed the International Boundary Commission to help prepare a report on a cross-border water pollution issue.
Since then, Tijuana’s sewage system has overwhelmed U.S. and Mexican treatment plants, flowing into the ocean and causing a public health threat that has closed beaches and endangered public health.
However, there have been years of effort since then in receiving funding for the International Boundary and Water Commission’s treatment plant in south San Diego to rehabilitate and expand the capabilities of the plant in order to treat more sewage water.
In December 2024, the South Bay treatment plant received an additional $250 million from the Biden administration that finally covered the entire cost of over $600 million needed to rebuild the plant. They had received a total of $400 million from previous advocacy.
Council members Carrie Anne Downey and Mark Fleming opposed the motion to declare a local emergency, which prevailed on a 3-2 vote.
“I’m still not in favor of this. It doesn’t matter how much we bang our spoon on our high chair, it’s not going to speed that up,” Fleming said of efforts to resolve the cross-border water, beach and air pollution caused by Tijuana sewage.
Downey said other local cities have already adopted emergency declarations and the governor doesn’t need theirs.
“Imperial Beach is far more burdened by this problem than we are,” she added. “The governor has been very clear he doesn’t intend to declare an emergency on this.”
Downey argued that the sewage crisis has achieved milestones with funding for improved sewage treatment without declaring an emergency.
Kelly Purvis, the newest council member, broke the tie, providing a third vote in favor of the emergency declaration.
“I do believe the symbolism counts on this one,” Purvis said.
City Manager Tina Friend said a draft of the declaration might not be finished by the next council meeting, but could be ready by the March 4 meeting.
