For over a thousand consecutive days, Imperial Beach remained closed to the public—a stark reminder of the Tijuana River sewage crisis that has devastated South Bay San Diego communities.
While billions of gallons of untreated sewage, industrial chemicals, and toxic waste continue flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border, one critical voice has been missing from the conversation: the voice of the community actually living through this environmental catastrophe.
Citizens for Coastal Conservancy (C4CC) stands as the only local nonprofit stakeholder based directly in the Tijuana River watershed, fighting every day for the residents of Imperial Beach, Coronado, and South Bay communities who bear the brunt of this crisis.
Unlike regional advocacy organizations headquartered miles away, C4CC represents the families who cannot open their windows due to toxic hydrogen sulfide fumes, the children who cannot play on contaminated beaches, and the small business owners watching their livelihoods disappear with each beach closure.
More importantly, C4CC has developed a proven, cost-effective solution using off-the-shelf technology that can reduce transboundary sewage pollution by 78% without building a single new treatment plant. This is not theoretical—it is backed by rigorous scientific data from the Tijuana River Diversion Study and can be implemented immediately.
The Crisis: More Than Just Numbers
Every year, an estimated 40 to 60 million gallons per day of untreated wastewater flows from Tijuana into the United States through the Tijuana River. This toxic cocktail contains raw sewage, hazardous industrial chemicals from maquiladoras, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and pathogenic bacteria that pose severe health risks to anyone exposed.
The human cost is staggering. Residents report chronic respiratory illnesses, skin rashes, gastrointestinal problems, and neurological symptoms from exposure to airborne and waterborne contaminants. The San Diego Air Pollution Control District established emergency monitoring stations in November 2024 after hydrogen sulfide levels—a toxic byproduct of decomposing sewage—reached dangerous concentrations that forced schools to close and residents to evacuate their homes.
The economic devastation is equally severe. Imperial Beach, once a thriving coastal community, has seen property values plummet by an estimated 30 to 40% as potential buyers flee the stench and health hazards. Tourism revenue has collapsed, with hotels reporting occupancy rates down by more than half. Local restaurants, surf shops, and beach rental businesses have shuttered permanently, unable to survive without visitors.
Yet despite over $800 million in federal funding allocated since 2024, the crisis continues unabated. Why? Because the proposed solutions focus on expensive, slow-to-build infrastructure that addresses symptoms rather than root causes.
The Expensive Failure: Why New Treatment Plants Won't Solve the Crisis
The prevailing approach championed by regional environmental organizations and federal agencies centers on expanding the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) from 25 million gallons per day (MGD) to 50 MGD capacity. On paper, this sounds reasonable—double the capacity, treat more sewage, reduce pollution.
In reality, this approach is fundamentally flawed for several critical reasons.
First, it treats the problem at the wrong location. The SBIWTP sits on the U.S. side of the border, meaning sewage must first flow through miles of the Tijuana River, contaminating the estuary, wetlands, and groundwater before reaching the treatment plant. By the time sewage arrives at SBIWTP, the environmental damage is already done. Toxic fumes have already sickened residents. Pathogens have already infiltrated the ecosystem. Beaches have already been closed.
Second, the timeline is unacceptable. Major infrastructure projects of this scale typically require five to ten years from planning to completion—years of environmental review, permitting, bidding, construction, and commissioning. Meanwhile, Imperial Beach residents continue suffering through another thousand days of beach closures, another thousand days of toxic air, another thousand days of economic devastation.
Third, the cost is astronomical and unsustainable. The $800 million already allocated represents just the beginning. When factoring in inevitable cost overruns (infrastructure projects routinely exceed budgets by 20-50%), ongoing operational expenses, maintenance, energy consumption, and future expansions, the total lifecycle cost could easily exceed $1.5 to $2 billion. This money comes from taxpayers—the same residents already suffering from the crisis.
Fourth, it perpetuates a reactive rather than proactive approach. Building bigger treatment plants on the U.S. side sends a clear message to Mexican authorities: "Don't worry about fixing your infrastructure; we'll clean up your sewage for you." This creates perverse incentives that guarantee the problem will worsen as Tijuana's population continues growing without corresponding investment in wastewater infrastructure.
The Tijuana River Diversion Study, commissioned by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC), explicitly identified these limitations and proposed a fundamentally different approach—one that C4CC has championed from the beginning.
C4CC's Solution: Upstream Diversion with Existing Infrastructure
The most effective solution to the Tijuana River sewage crisis already exists. It does not require billions of dollars, years of construction, or new technology. It simply requires operating existing infrastructure the way it was designed to operate.
The Punta Bandera Collector and International Lift Station (PBCILA) system, located in Tijuana, Mexico, was specifically built to intercept sewage before it flows across the border. When operating at full capacity—2,600 liters per second (lps)—and maintained properly with 24/7 operation, this system can divert the vast majority of Tijuana's wastewater to treatment facilities in Mexico, preventing it from ever reaching the Tijuana River.
The data is unequivocal. According to the Tijuana River Diversion Study's comprehensive analysis spanning November 1, 2009 to March 9, 2016, operating PBCILA at full capacity with 24/7 operation achieves a 78% reduction in transboundary sewage flows—reducing flow days from 138 per year to just 30 days.
This represents a 78% reduction simply by operating existing infrastructure at full capacity with proper maintenance. No new construction. No multi-billion dollar price tag. No decade-long timeline.
The study identified four key operational deficiencies—all solvable with off-the-shelf technology:
- Limited personnel: Hiring adequate maintenance staff costs a fraction of new infrastructure
- Inadequate O&M budget: Fully funding operations costs millions, not billions
- Minimal preventive maintenance: Industry-standard protocols are straightforward and cost-effective
- High-risk physical conditions: Upgrading components with modern equipment eliminates failures
The total cost to fully upgrade PBCILA to 24/7 operation: $50 to $100 million—less than one-eighth the cost of expanding SBIWTP, with immediate implementation and proven effectiveness.
Why C4CC's Voice Matters
C4CC's leadership, volunteers, and supporters live in Imperial Beach, Coronado, and South Bay communities. We breathe the same contaminated air. Our children cannot play on the same closed beaches. Our homes lose value with each passing day of inaction. We are not advocates observing from afar—we are stakeholders fighting for our own survival.
We prioritize immediate solutions over long-term studies. We focus on cost-effectiveness because it's our tax dollars. We understand the binational complexity because we live it daily. We represent the voices that are too often ignored.
The Path Forward
The solution is clear, proven, and immediately achievable. What is missing is political will and proper allocation of resources. C4CC demands action on PBCILA 24/7 operation now—not another decade of studies while our community suffers.