Tijuana River Sewage Crisis
Last Updated: Jun 23, 2025
Every year, billions of gallons of toxic pollution flow across the U.S./Mexico border down the Tijuana River, bringing untreated sewage, hazardous industrial chemicals and trash into the Tijuana Estuary and Pacific Ocean. This pollution has led to years of beach closures in Imperial Beach and Coronado, and growing threats to public health from waterborne and airborne pathogens, and severe impacts to valuable coastal and marine habitats and the local economy.
Imperial Beach’s public beach has been closed for Over 1,000 consecutive days, and counting.
The failure to treat the sewage is a complex cross-border problem, with years of neglect and lack of funding in both the U.S. and Mexico that has caused the crisis to worsen. It is now an environmental, social justice and public health catastrophe that continues to disproportionately impact communities in South County San Diego. San Diego Coastkeeper took up this issue in 2023, and we are committed to using every means at our disposal to address the Tijuana Sewage Crisis.
Learn more by checking out our three-part blog series ‘Understanding the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis’:
- An Overview of Causes and Consequences, Published: May 2, 2024
- Government Inaction & Community Responses, Published: June 13, 2024
- Tijuana River Sewage Crisis Funding Update 2025, Published: April 10, 2025
Do you live, work, or visit the Tijuana River Valley area?
We want to hear from you!
Help researches gather important health data! Take the Health Risks Assessment on the Binational Pacific Ocean Coastline survey by researchers from the Department of Public Health at California State University San Marcos researchers.
Tijuana River: ACTION Timeline
June 3, 2025
Binational ‘One Coastal Community’ Platform Launched
Coastkeeper and our binational collaboration of non-profit (Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental) and academic partners (San Diego State University and Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana) launch new website to share data and information on a centralized platform: OneCoastalCommunity.org
December 21, 2024
President Biden Provides Additional $250 Million In Funding For Water Treatment
Days prior to the end of the year and his presidency, Biden approves $250 million in additional funding to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, bringing total 2024 funding to over $800 million for critically needed repairs.
November 13, 2024
Daily Air Quality Monitoring Established to Drive Public Health Recommendations
In response to growing air quality concerns due to Tijuana River pollution—particularly high levels of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), an airborne byproduct of untreated sewage, decomposing organic matter, and hazardous industrial activities—The San Diego Air Pollution Control District established monitoring stations in three locations throughout souther San Diego to provide residents with reliable air quality readings and response system.
August 8, 2024
Binational Coalition, ‘One Coastal Community’ is Formed
Coastkeeper kicked off collaboration with a binational coalition comprised of non-profit (Proyecto Fronterizo de Educación Ambiental) and academic partners (San Diego State University and Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana) on both sides of the border to generate and share data, information, resources and knowledge to promote awareness and transparency about the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis.
April 15, 2024
Tijuana River Designated as ‘Endangered’
The Tijuana River becomes designated as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2024 by American Rivers, citing “pollution causing sickness, forcing beach closures, and endangering local economies”.
April 11, 2024
Coastkeeper Files Lawsuit
San Diego Coastkeeper and Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF) file lawsuit against the federal government for over 600 violations of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) South Bay International Treatment Plant’s Clean Water Act Discharge Permit.
March 22, 2024
$156 Million Approved for South Bay Plant Repairs
Congress includes $156 million in supplemental funding for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in the FY24 budget in response to pressure from Coastkeeper’s Border Pollution Coalition.
March 11, 2023
State Bill Introduced to Hold U.S. Corporate Polluters in Tijuana Responsible
Coastkeeper supports SB1178 from Senator Steve Padilla, which would force California companies contributing to TJ River pollution to pay into a cleanup fund.
December 28, 2023
Clean Water Act Notice Filed
San Diego Coastkeeper and CERF put Feds on Legal Notice for Polluted Discharges from Border Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Summer 2022
Feds Admit South Bay Treatment Plant is Near Failure
IBWC admits that it needs at least $150 million of additional funding to repair the plant, following decades of neglect and deferred maintenance.
ways you can help
Demand Urgent Action
Support Clean Water
Support Important Research
links to other resources
- TRNERR Oneonta Slough Station Water Quality with IBWC River Gage Data
- TRNERR Tijuana River Water Quality at Hollister Bridge
- San Diego County Beach Water Quality Map
- Proyecto Fronterizo de Educacion Ambiental
- EPA Tijuana River Watershed and Transboundary Pollution
- SDSU Public Health Report on Tijuana River Pollution
- City of Imperial Beach - Tijuana Sewage Pollution
- Surfrider Clean Border Water Now
- Blog Post: Understanding the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis- Causes & Consequences
