Water Board Sues IBWC Over Untreated Sewage from Tijuana River

The state of California is suing the federal government over untreated sewage in the Tijuana River. NBC 7’s Erika Cervantes is in Imperial Beach with more. (Published Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018)

Tijuana Sewage Lawsuit Moves Forward

The San Diego Water Board is suing the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), claiming it is violating the Clean Water Act by not monitoring or stopping untreated waste flowing to the Pacific Ocean from the Tijuana River.

The lawsuit also alleges the IBWC has discharged millions of gallons of waste, including untreated sewage, trash, pesticides and heavy metals from its treatment facilities into the Tijuana River, which flow through the Tijuana Estuary, into the Pacific Ocean and are pushed north onto county beaches.

Shorelines of Imperial Beach and the Tijuana Estuary are often closed to the public after spills on the Mexican side of the border, and also due to contaminated runoff following rainfall.

According to the lawsuit, beaches in Imperial Beach have been closed around 150 days a year due to contaminated runoff the last two years.

Closures sometimes extend as far north as Silver Strand State Beach and Coronado. The lawsuit is asking the court to […]

Full article: Water Board Sues IBWC Over Untreated Sewage from Tijuana River