Mexico City, Mexico — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin and Secretary of the Environment and National Resources of Mexico Alicia Bárcena Ibarra met today to address a pressing environmental issue that has plagued the U.S.-Mexico border for decades.
The officials convened at the Council of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at resolving the Tijuana River sewage crisis, which has seen untreated raw sewage flow into Southern California, adversely affecting the environment, public health, and local economies on both sides of the border.
“The Trump Administration is proud to deliver this massive environmental and national security win for Americans in the San Diego area who have been living with this disgusting raw sewage flowing into their communities for far too long,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin.
This agreement not only addresses the immediate sewage issue but also aligns with key priorities of the Trump Administration, achieving critical milestones that ensure a lasting solution.
One of the significant outcomes is Mexico’s commitment to obligating the remaining $93 million of Minute 328 funds that had yet to be allocated.
Furthermore, the timeline for completing outstanding Minute 328 projects has been significantly shortened, with the overall project completion date projected for no later than December 31, 2027.
The MOU also incorporates several vital projects on the Mexican side, accounting for future population growth in Tijuana and the operational and maintenance costs required to sustain these initiatives.
Following Administrator Zeldin’s visit to San Diego in April, which included meetings with community members and local officials, the U.S. and Mexico governments have actively worked together to finalize solutions to this persistent problem.
“In April, I visited San Diego to meet with local community members, elected officials, and residents who have been dealing with the consequences of this crisis for decades. I made a commitment to the residents that I would spearhead an effort to construct an all-encompassing plan to finally bring the sewage crisis to an end,” Zeldin emphasized.
Both nations are now expected to undertake specific actions as laid out in the MOU, which aims to establish a permanent solution to the ongoing sewage dilemma.
“Since my visit, the Mexican and United States governments have been working collaboratively to urgently finalize a permanent 100% solution to this longstanding issue,” Zeldin added, highlighting the cooperative effort involved.
The U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council at the White House played crucial roles in facilitating these negotiations, exemplifying a commitment to cross-border environmental cooperation.
“This is not just a solution for 2025. We devised this agreement to factor in population growth, operation and maintenance costs, and other variables that would make this solution durable and long term,” Zeldin stated.
The MOU specifies that both countries agree to accelerate the timelines for critical infrastructure projects within the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) Minute No. 328, which aims to enhance water quality and sewage management in the impacted areas.
In a significant step, the United States has also agreed to release funds from the EPA Border Water Infrastructure Program (BWIP) to complete crucial infrastructure projects, including the rehabilitation of Pump Station 1 and the Tijuana River collection pipes.
This funding release follows Mexico’s commitment to begin construction on two priority projects this year, which includes the diversion of treated effluent from two wastewater treatment plants and the rehabilitation of the Parallel Gravity Line.
The diversion project is projected to have a capacity of 10 million gallons per day (MGD) and must be initiated promptly, with completion of both the diversion and the rehabilitation projects set for December 31, 2025.
Additionally, the next 100 days will see both nations evaluating all infrastructure project schedules to ensure expedited completion timelines.
For more detailed information, please refer to the full Memorandum of Understanding.
image source from：epa
