FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 08/11/2026
Media Contact:
Nicky Rosenberg
Communications Manager, San Diego Coastkeeper
[email protected]
Settlement follows a complete overhaul and 40% capacity expansion of the South Bay International Treatment Plant, nearly $800 million in federal allocations, and new binational treaty commitments
SAN DIEGO, CA – On August 5, 2026, San Diego Coastkeeper and Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF) settled their lawsuit with the U.S. International Boundary Water Commission (USIBWC), and its contractor, Veolia Water West Operating Services, Inc. (Veolia) related to years of rampant Clean Water Act violations at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP).
Coastkeeper and CERF initiated the citizen enforcement matter in late 2023 following years of deferred maintenance and neglect at the SBIWTP. The complaint alleged:
(1) Over 500 self-documented violations for inadequately treating sewage before discharge to the ocean
(2) Dozens of canyon collector spill events resulting in millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing directly into the Tijuana River Estuary
(3) Routinely inaccurate and incomplete self-monitoring reports
(4) Failure to implement a river valley monitoring program for over five years.
Since the filing of Coastkeeper’s complaint, USIBWC has received nearly $800 million in federal allocations, allowing for a complete overhaul of the SBIWTP. USIBWC has also expanded the plant’s treatment capacity by 40%, reducing the volume of untreated water flows into the U.S. by 10 million gallons per day (MGD). Furthermore, USIBWC has complied with the facility’s ocean discharge effluent limits for over 18 consecutive months. This represents a remarkable turnaround from its long history of violating the Clean Water Act and contributing directly to the Tijuana Border Sewage Crisis.
While much has already been accomplished, the settlement commits USIBWC and Veolia to increase public transparency regarding the status of all outstanding Minute 328 infrastructure projects, and improved public outreach related to major infrastructure repairs or unexpectedly high wastewater flows that could impact the SBIWTP or overwhelm the canyon collector systems.
USIBWC and Veolia have also responded with increased urgency to address the sewage crisis, including more robust engagement, communication, and pressure on their Mexican counterparts. As a result, Mexico:
- Completed construction of the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant (SAB) in April 2025, treating 18 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater for the first time in five years;
- Entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. in July 2025, accelerating deadlines for completion of the remaining Minute 328 wastewater infrastructure projects.
- Entered Minute 333 with the U.S. in December 2025, requiring numerous additional projects and activities including the creation of an infrastructure operation and maintenance account with NADBank, a Tijuana water infrastructure master plan to account for future population growth, sediment and trash capture projects, and a feasibility analysis of expanding the SAB plant to 43 MGD.
“The positive impact of our enforcement action has been undeniable,” said Phillip Musegaas, Executive Director of San Diego Coastkeeper. “During the summer of 2024, wastewater flows coming into the U.S. averaged nearly 40 million gallons per day, and the South Bay Treatment Plant was on the verge of failing completely. Our citizen lawsuit forced IBWC to find funding and fix its failing treatment system, demonstrating the power of citizen enforcement to hold our government accountable for its contribution to this crisis.”
For historical context, the entire USIBWC treatment plant was on the brink of collapse in August 2023. The vast majority of its pumps, sludge tanks, and grit chambers were completely inoperable. Today, all of those have been fully rehabilitated or replaced, and the Facility now has backup pumps and parts available on site to ensure redundancy.
“This is one piece of a much larger problem, but it’s critical that the treatment plant is now working as intended for the first time since 2020,” said Sara Ochoa, Programs Director for CERF.
While significant hurdles remain, this settlement represents a significant step toward holistically addressing the transboundary pollution crisis. Coastkeeper will continue to engage on multiple fronts through its Tijuana River Valley sampling program, the One Coastal Community binational partnership, and leadership via the Tijuana River Coalition. Coastkeeper has also submitted a USMCA petition to the Commission on Environmental Cooperation, asserting that Mexico is failing to effectively enforce its environmental laws relating to wastewater management and public health, which requires a formal response from the federal government of Mexico by August 28, 2026.
About Coastkeeper
Founded in 1995, San Diego Coastkeeper safeguards our region’s inland and coastal waters through a strategic blend of community science, education, grassroots outreach, policy advocacy, and legal enforcement of environmental laws. This approach allows us to effectively tackle the most pressing water issues facing our region. For more information, visit sdcoastkeeper.org.
About Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation
CERF is an environmental non-profit founded in 2008 by surfers in Encinitas, CA. CERF is dedicated to the preservation, protection, and defense of the environment, the wildlife, and the natural resources of the California Coast. To learn more, visit cerf.org.
