Residents in South Bay are all too familiar with the impacts of San Diego’s ongoing cross-border sewage crisis. Beach closures due to contamination and the pervasive smell of sewage are affecting local communities, forcing many to keep their windows shut despite the record-breaking heat in Southern California this week.
As temperatures rise, health officials have issued a new warning regarding the intensification of sewage odors across San Diego’s South Bay area.
The crisis, marked by the daily flow of millions of gallons of raw sewage from Mexico into the U.S., continues to affect residents in Bonita, Chula Vista, Otay Mesa, Imperial Beach, Lincoln Acres, and National City.
On Sunday, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District reported that the heat is exacerbating the sewage smell in the Tijuana River Valley and surrounding areas.
Most Polluted Beach in California (Photo: Getty Images)The department advises residents who detect strong odors to limit outdoor activities and stay indoors when possible to avoid potential health risks associated with raw sewage.
In response to the health risks posed by the pollution, San Diego County Public Health Services recently launched a new website to track gastrointestinal illnesses linked to the sewage in South Bay waters. The contamination has led to over 900 days of continuous beach closures in Imperial Beach, with beaches in Coronado also affected.
The air pollution department plans to keep monitoring air quality in South Bay amidst ongoing heat warnings and will provide updates to the public.
Additionally, Baja California officials have announced the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in Mexico, which is expected to significantly reduce the volume of sewage reaching the ocean once completed this fall.