A growing number of Southern California cities affected by the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis are issuing local state-of-emergency declarations. Although California has begun constructing a new wastewater treatment plant, communities grappling with pollution-related public health issues argue that "a plant is not enough."
Local leaders continue to urge Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state-level emergency, which would expedite federal funding to address more immediate solutions.
Chula Vista
The most recent local state-of-emergency declaration came from Chula Vista—San Diego County's second-largest city—on November 12. While not directly adjacent to the Tijuana River, Chula Vista is close enough to experience indirect impacts from its pollution, per the San Diego Union-Tribune. In its declaration, city leaders cited water pollution and "unhealthy conditions," including gas odors and high levels of toxic chemicals caused by the sewage crisis.
Chula Vista's declaration highlights the far-reaching effects of the crisis, which is no longer confined to communities along the river. The city is approximately six miles north of the Tijuana River Valley, and its residents report experiencing headaches, dizziness, and nausea caused by the pollution.
City of San Diego
The city of San Diego issued a mostly symbolic local state-of-emergency declaration in October, citing environmental degradation affecting local wildlife in the Tijuana River Valley and health risks to its residents. The city has also contributed to enhanced monitoring of the issue and cleanup efforts in some of the most affected areas.
Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach—one of the areas most affected by the crisis—has been under a local emergency declaration since June 2023. The city has faced numerous beach closures due to contamination, with one of its beaches recently being classified as among the most polluted in the country. Mayor Paloma Aguirre has been one of the most vocal local leaders advocating for federal funding and criticizing state leaders for failing to act with urgency.
In October, Aguirre urged the governor to declare a state-level emergency that would unlock recovery funds for environmental damage, public health threats, and tourism losses. "We're having hundreds, if not thousands, of families over the years impacted, and now in the last two years, it's gone up significantly by the toxic gases and pathogens being aerosolized by what's coming through the river," Aguirre said.
The Imperial Beach mayor has proposed diverting the river and treating the water before it reaches South Bay communities. "We need to armor our side with infrastructure that would allow us zero cross-border flow, and anybody who says that's not doable, that's all excuses," Aguirre said.
San Diego County
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency on June 27, 2023, citing persistent sewage spills and toxic waste contamination impacting its coastal areas and public health. Cities across the county, including San Diego and Chula Vista, are collectively pressuring the federal government and Mexico to address the crisis.
The county has been actively issuing health advisories and monitoring air quality, as airborne toxins are a significant concern in affected areas. According to the New York Post, residents across San Diego County have reported respiratory health issues, with South Bay Urgent Care noting a 140% increase in patients requiring breathing treatments.
Other cities within the county impacted by the crisis include:
- Coronado
- National City
- Oceanside
- Carlsbad
- Encinitas
- Solana Beach
- Del Mar
Inland cities such as Escondido, El Cajon, Vista, and San Marcos are also involved in countywide initiatives aimed at improving water quality, despite not being directly impacted by the crisis, which has hit the southern coastal cities of San Diego County the hardest.
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