On Jan. 28 the board approved to direct $8.75 million from the county’s reserves to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis. The money will be earmarked for modification of concrete pipes in the Tijuana River Valley ($2.5 million), additional health studies ($2.25 million) and the distribution of air filters to South Bay households ($4 million).
This decision comes weeks after a crucial pipeline in Tijuana collapsed and spewed 11.5 million gallons of raw sewage daily into the Tijuana River.
“(This proposal) advances some funding for an immediate infrastructure fix to deal with some of the most acute public health impacts at Saturn Boulevard,” said Chair Terra Lawson-Remer on Jan. 28 before the board unanimously approved the temporary fix. “I think it does it in a really smart way saying ‘Look the county will put a little money in here but only if we’re able to leverage funding from external partners because this really is a regional challenge and we cannot solve it alone.’”
“This crisis disproportionately hits our low-income and vulnerable neighborhoods,” said Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, who represents District 1. “These studies could be the potential key to unlocking further emergency action, healthcare resources and long-term investments. …My constituents have carried the burden for decades.”
Addressing the hotspot
Aguirre has called the sewage crisis a binational challenge and urged Mexico to do more.
Scientists have reported high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases in the air, originating from untreated waters in the Tijuana River. In a study published last year, researchers identified a riverine hotspot on Saturn Boulevard as the primary source of malodors residents have raised concerns about.
The hotspot is located in the Tijuana River Valley, north of the U.S.-Mexico border and west of the international treatment plant, in San Diego. This area is in close proximity to homes, ranches and local public schools.
During a press conference, Rich Whipple, deputy director of public works for the county of San Diego, said the Tijuana River flows through culverts under Saturn Boulevard, and drops vertically resulting in splashing that causes the pollution to become airborne. The county intends to interrupt this process and improve conditions.
According to a letter submitted by Aguirre and Lawson-Remer, temporary plastic pipes will be added to reduce turbulence. This option could be implemented within two years while work continues on long-term solutions.
The letter says the county will begin working on the project with the city of San Diego, the Navy, and seek state and federal funding.
In the last month, Aguirre advocated in Sacramento to accelerate state funding for cross-border rivers, specifically for the Tijuana River to aid with fixes at the hotspot.
If the county secures external funding, the $2.5 million “shall be used for other immediate needs in the Tijuana River Valley,” says the letter.
Reiterating that the crisis is Mexico’s responsibility, Supervisor Jim Desmond said he fully supports the project at Saturn Boulevard but does not support additional studies.
“We don’t need any more studies to tell us about the health impacts. They’re serious. … We know they’re serious,” he said. “I just can’t spend another couple million on another study.”
Divided on health studies
The board majority proceeded to approve financing a long-term epidemiological study and retrospective health study.
Lawson-Remer said the studies will help secure funding from other sources and identify whether there is a need to do any kind of contamination cleanup in the South Bay.
“I continue to believe that there is such a need,” she said.
In early 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied a request from local leaders to analyze whether the Tijuana River Valley qualifies for Superfund designation – a decision determined based on a six-year-old study and sustained by the agency in March.
This decision was made after medical doctors reported an uptick in gastrointestinal issues among South Bay patients believed to result from airborne and direct water contact with the sewage pollution contaminating local beaches in 2023. The following year, university researchers reported elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide and other toxic gases.
In both instances, the county dialed down reports, reaching different conclusions from those of clinics and academics.
Aguirre argued that while there have been studies based on self-reported illnesses, researchers in the United States and Mexico have never conducted full epidemiological studies of sewage-related illnesses along the river.
The board approved the studies in a 3-1 vote.
Funding air purifiers
On a separate vote, the board unanimously agreed to unlock $4 million for the San Diego Air Pollution Control District to help expand its Air Improvement Relief Effort (AIRE) program.
The district launched AIRE in 2024 to help improve indoor air quality for South Bay communities, distributing over 10,000 air purifiers to households in Otay Mesa West, San Ysidro, Egger Highlands, Nestor as well as the cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego.
In December, the district unanimously voted to allocate approximately $1 million to fund the procurement and distribution of up to 3,600 additional units for eligible households in 2026.
Desmond called the purifiers a Band-Aid on a “literally gushing wound” and added “we can’t let up on the pressure of Mexico to fix their failing infrastructure that’s causing this entire mess.”
Complimenting the Trump administration for progress on the crisis, Desmond requests that the county submit a letter of support to federal agencies after negotiating with Mexico to finance projects to divert sewage away from the Tijuana River in Minute 333.
“Clean air is not a luxury, it’s a fundamental human right,” said Aguirre, who agrees with the letter expressing the county’s support. “So, yes, it’s a Band-Aid, but it’s something that is extremely needed so that people can breathe.”
