The county resumed its distribution of hundreds of air purifiers to South Bay families living near the Tijuana River Valley days before the Air Improvement Relief Effort (AIRE) program was approved for expansion.
A four-hour drive-through event on Dec. 8 distributed 200 purifiers to South Bay households while also welcoming new applicants.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) launched the program in late 2024 to help improve indoor air quality for South Bay communities. Since then, eligible households affected by the hydrogen sulfide odors, deriving from untreated wastewater flows, can apply to receive one free purifier delivered to their address.Â
According to a report by the district, staff has approved over 10,400 units for distribution in the Tijuana River Valley, including Otay Mesa West, San Ysidro, Egger Highlands, Nestor and Imperial Beach.
On Dec. 11 the district voted unanimously to allocate approximately $1M to fund the procurement and distribution of up to 3,600 additional units for eligible households.
Paula Forbis, air pollution control officer for the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, said the sewage crisis has affected the health and quality of life of South Bay residents.
“These air purifiers are one way we can offer immediate relief to help improve indoor air quality, while federal agencies pursue long-term infrastructure solutions to the crisis,” Forbis added.
Community-wide program
Area residents who have complained of breathing complications said the purifiers would give them a break from noxious odors, especially when the stench peaks in the summer.
“What a godsend,” said South Bay resident Araceli Hernandez after receiving her air filter and two replacements. “That’s gonna help a lot.”
After completing his application, Imperial Beach resident Epigmenio Lopez Rosette said he doesn’t think the filter will eliminate the smells affecting his entire home because the unit looks too small, but he is hopeful it can make a difference.
“The smell… it’s never going to go away,” said Rosette in Spanish. “It’s a huge problem because they’re working on it, but it’s impossible to divert the river somewhere else… It’s a river that unfortunately discharges into the ocean here in Imperial Beach.”
To learn more about the Air Improvement Relief Effort program, visit: sdapcd.org/filters.
