Communities Unite in Call to Heal Our Coast

Photo: Nanzi Muro

While elected officials celebrate the launch of construction at the International Treatment Plant adjacent to the US-Mexico border, communities from across San Diego County and beyond come together to demand a more immediate response to the public health emergency in the Tijuana River Watershed.

As severely toxic transboundary pollution continues to increase in the San Diego/Tijuana international region, so too does the momentum in the burgeoning social movement demanding change. This autumn has seen a flurry of activity around the Tijuana Watershed public health and environmental justice emergency, from new scientific data and research efforts, to daily press briefings, to numerous public comment opportunities, to unifying public events, to world capital design forums, and infrastructure groundbreakings. Below is a summary of all that’s been going on, and what lies ahead. 

Surge of State Funds
On November 5, voters passed Proposition 4, a landmark $10 billion climate and clean water bond designed to address California’s most urgent threats while we still can. Proposition 4 is a state-level measure that directs significant funding toward climate resilience projects along California's coast, including a $50 million investment for wastewater infrastructure improvement projects at the US/Mexico border. We are heartened to see this state contribution to help pay for the needed solutions. 

Milestone Celebrated
On October 29, elected officials, members of the public, and press came together to celebrate the launch of a long-awaited South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant rehabilitation and expansion project.  This is one of three “core” projects that make up the Comprehensive Infrastructure Solution, expected to reduce year-round flows by 75% and San Diego beach closures by 95% in summer months.

Surfrider and our coalition partners worked hard to get us to this point, which has taken over five years. While we acknowledge and celebrate this milestone, we recognize that waiting an additional five years for it to be completed is far too long for impacted communities and more needs to be done in the short and long term to make substantial progress in addressing this environmental and public health catastrophe. People who live in and around the Tijuana River Valley are getting sick when they go outside, when they’re in their homes, when they’re at school and work. On top of the physical illnesses, they are getting sick of being ignored. 

Photo: Veriditas Rising

Communities Unite
On October 13, more than 265 people gathered at Pier Plaza in Imperial Beach for UNITE TO HEAL OUR COASTto raise a united voice for solutions to the crisis.  Attendees advocated to heal our coast, our river, and our communities from the transboundary pollution that has plagued residents and ecosystems in the South Bay and beyond for decades and led to one of the most significant ongoing public health and environmental justice emergencies in the United States.  

The free public event brought together impacted residents, advocates, scientists, elected officials, community organizations, a labor union, a school district, and many others to address the rampant transboundary pollution devastating our communities in South San Diego County, Tijuana, and beyond.  Attendees were able to participate in advocacy and art activities and enjoyed live music and dance from local high school groups.

Photo: Edgar Ontiveros Medina

Just one week earlier, another highly impactful and well-attended event took place on October 5th - the Public Health Forum for Healing and Advocacy in Response to the Tijuana Watershed Pollution Crisis at Mendoza Elementary School in South San Diego.  The event drew over 180 people to a full day of activities, beginning with a highly anticipated discussion with Dr. Mona Hanna, the pediatrician who was instrumental in shining light on the Flint Water Crisis in Michigan and getting the urgent federal response that the situation demanded.  CA Senator Steve Padilla also joined the discussion that was moderated by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre - both longtime champions for frontline communities.  

Photo: Sarah Davidson

Dr. Mona connected the dots between the environmental injustice that people are facing here in South San Diego County and Tijuana to the environmental injustice faced by other communities across the United States, including in Flint, and left many feeling something they have not felt for a long time - hope.

Audience members were astonished and moved by the striking similarities, from the undermining of scientific data by government officials to attacks on those who are advocating for change. There was an audible gasp from the audience when she looked out and said with certainty, “You absolutely will win,” the one thing that everyone present needed to hear after years of advocacy and not enough progress.  

Event organizers from the Transboundary Pollution Coalition for Advocacy and Healing reflected, “It was very powerful to hear Dr. Mona’s story in Flint, Michigan, to understand that her community experienced such a similar trajectory of environmental injustice, and to know that they were ultimately successful in being heard and seen and getting a response from those who had the capacity to address the urgent public health crisis.”

Photo: Lisa Kaczmarczyk

Public Health Survey Launches
Also announced at the Public Health Forum was the launch of the Healthy Water, Healthy Air Survey conducted by San Diego State University, with input by the Tijuana River Pollution Task Force. This community health survey is intended to help identify health issues linked to local environmental conditions in and around the Tijuana River Valley, as perceived and experienced by residents. The survey, which allows impacted residents to share their voices and concerns, will be running for a year in coordination with a similar survey in Mexico. Surfrider will be helping to promote this survey alongside other members of the Task Force and our coalition partners. 

Photo: Nanzi Muro

What Is Needed Now
We are in a final push for a state and federal emergency declaration before President Biden leaves office. Both the California Coastal Commission and the California State Lands Commission unanimously voted to send letters to the President and Congress requesting a federal emergency declaration and full funding for the Comprehensive Infrastructure Solution during their respective October meetings.

Additionally, the City of San Diego voted to send a similar request in early October. These are huge wins and would not have been possible without the dedication of advocates and community members showing up consistently to raise our voices. An emergency declaration is important because the infrastructure project that is most likely to make the biggest difference for improving public health has not yet been vetted or funded. The river diversion project would prevent pollution from flowing through the main river channel that is located right next to South Bay communities.  This is where unsafe levels of toxic gasses aerosolize above the channelized, fast-moving water, and expose families living nearby to hazardous air quality conditions. An emergency declaration could help to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and obtain the much needed prioritization, funding, and interagency coordination required for rapid response to the worsening public health crisis.    

Photo: Nanzi Muro

How You Can Help

• If you haven’t already, please sign our petition to the President and Congress to act now to address this emergency. We are urging President Biden to sign a federal emergency declaration before he leaves office and we need as many voices as we can get to make this happen. 
• Share this information and petition with others.  
• Support our Clean Border Water Now program by donating to ensure we can continue to address transboundary pollution in the Tijuana Watershed. 
• Sign-up for updates on our website.