Paloma Aguirre, recently elected as a San Diego County Supervisor, took office in July with a commitment to tackle the ongoing sewage crisis affecting the Tijuana River.
Six weeks into her term, she is taking bold steps to address the situation.
During the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting next Tuesday, Aguirre plans to present several initiatives aimed at expediting county efforts to combat the crisis and encourage federal intervention.
Aguirre described the crisis as ‘the biggest public health crisis in the western hemisphere’ and is determined to have her fellow supervisors take immediate action.
Her agenda includes demanding the county begin work on two vital studies that the Board approved in June.
One study will assess the health impacts of sewage on South County residents, while the other will measure economic losses due to closed beaches and other pollution-related issues.
Additionally, Aguirre is seeking the Board’s approval to allocate approximately $100,000 to hire a lobbyist with the aim of educating federal lawmakers about the seriousness of sewage pollution in South County and to build support for a comprehensive cleanup effort that involves both the U.S. and Mexico.
Aguirre expressed frustration with the federal response so far, which she feels has been inadequate despite addressing issues at a malfunctioning cross-border sewage plant.
She indicated that these efforts have not effectively tackled what she believes is the root of the problem: untreated sewage and industrial waste from poorly regulated residential developments in Tijuana, as well as environmentally irresponsible factories producing goods for the U.S. market.
‘Until you address the river, we will have closed beaches and people getting sick,’ Aguirre stated emphatically.
In addition to her proposals to the Board, Aguirre plans to travel to Sacramento later this month to advocate utilizing $50 million allocated for sewage issues as part of a climate resilience initiative approved by state voters last November.
This funding could target a significant pollution hotspot near Imperial Beach that contributes to the air pollution affecting South County residents.
The area Aguirre aims to address is characterized by a narrowing river channel where concrete barriers create turbulent water that releases airborne sewage pollutants.
Alongside her proposals, Aguirre is also pushing for the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District to convene a special meeting to explore how to streamline and enhance the program that provides free air purifiers to residents impacted by sewage pollution.
Aguirre is confident that these initiatives represent a substantive commitment to action for the community.
‘Not to wait anymore,’ she emphasized.
During a boat tour of the South County coastline, Aguirre shared her proposals with reporters and local environmentalists, highlighting the visible pollution originating from the Tijuana River.
‘You see brown spigots of water pouring down cliffs into the ocean in Tijuana,’ she explained as they approached the U.S.-Mexico border.
Aguirre stressed that the main issue remains the river itself and the raw sewage discharging into the ocean adjacent to the beaches.
Despite recent announcements by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Lee Zeldin claiming progress had been made in addressing the sewage crisis, Aguirre remains skeptical.
She pointed out the closure of all South County beaches, from Imperial Beach to Coronado, on Thursday due to elevated levels of bacteria and other pollutants.
The claims of the Trump administration to have secured commitments from Mexico, according to Aguirre, lack substance.
‘It’s very naive of the Trump administration to say, ‘Yay, we made Mexico commit,’ Aguirre remarked.
The supervisor articulated that while Mexico should indeed take responsibility for its own waste and regulatory enforcement, unrealistic expectations from U.S. officials will not resolve San Diego County’s sewage issues.
‘What the rhetoric does is make [Trump administration officials] feel good. But does it bring results? No,’ she concluded.
Aguirre suggests a more pragmatic approach: to expand sewage treatment capacity on the U.S. side of the border to handle the untreated waste from Mexico.
‘Trump could do that tomorrow,’ Aguirre claimed, emphasizing the need for political will to implement such solutions.
Aguirre’s review of documents related to her sewage proposals revealed a noteworthy detail.
To fund some of her initiatives, she plans to request the Board to reallocate $270,000 that was initially set aside for designing a sports complex and border gateway arch in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park.
This park project had been a priority for former South County Supervisor Nora Vargas, who had resigned unexpectedly last year, leading to Aguirre’s election to the Board.
The prior tensions between Aguirre and Vargas suggest ongoing political shifts in the region.
In a light-hearted moment during the boat tour, the focus on sewage issues was momentarily lifted when the boat pilot announced the sighting of a pod of dolphins.
The presence of the dolphins captivated attendees, drawing attention away from discussions of pollution as they leaped and dove around the boat.
Despite the challenges posed by pollution, the beauty of San Diego’s natural environment remains undeniable.
image source from：voiceofsandiego
