By Terra Lawson-Remer in San Diego
It’s official – the poop is in the air.
The stink you smell when you’re in Coronado or the South Bay isn’t just the odor of missed days at the beach due to the Tijuana River Valley environmental crisis, or the stench of first responders getting sick just doing their jobs.
It’s the smell of sewage from Mexico becoming airborne after it falls from a culvert and crashes into rocks in our community just north of the border.
But guess what: this problem is solvable!
The County Board of Supervisors has a new plan in the works to reduce harm right now while we fight for the long-term fix our region deserves. And you can help.
So how does water pollution become air pollution?
When wastewater flows, and there’s not much wind, odors and gas levels spike in the surrounding area. But when flows aren’t as intense, the bad smells and air pollution lessen as well.
As reported by KPBS, researchers documented this phenomenon when they recorded hydrogen sulfide levels in the area.
But there’s hope. Saturn Boulevard — just a few miles north of the U.S-Mexico border — is one of the worst hotspots for harmful airborne pollution from the Tijuana River Valley.
So, on Wednesday, January 28, the Board of Supervisors will consider a new proposal by Supervisor Paloma Aguirre and myself to advance a targeted, near-term fix:
A temporary pipe extension that keeps sewage below the waterline — instead of crashing against rocks and sending contaminants into the air people breathe.
Is it a permanent solution? No.
But does it reduce exposure and protect public health right now? Absolutely.
This action focuses on what we can do now, while continuing to push for the U.S. and Mexican governments for the infrastructure investment needed to finally solve the problem.
It stems from an ad hoc subcommittee I formed with Supervisor Aguirre to develop an action-oriented response to this severe crisis.
At the same time, this action also invests in critical and comprehensive health studies that document the real impacts of the crisis.
These can help deliver long-overdue public health answers for communities impacted by the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
This includes a long-term epidemiological study and a retrospective health analysis to help us finally quantify the sewage’s impact on South Bay residents.
Those data matter for not only our health, but also our mission — because they’re key to securing the sustained funding required for modern wastewater treatment and long-term diversion projects.
Will you help out? Submit an e-comment ahead of the January 28 vote.
When residents like you speak up, it strengthens our hand and helps move real solutions forward.
Together, we can protect public health now — and keep pushing until the Tijuana River is fixed for good.
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Terra Lawson-Remer is chair of the county Board of Supervisors
For the past 3 years, I have been to theTijuana River Valley for several hours a day working with horses. I have experienced the stench and some minor health impacts personally, but more impirtantly, I have come to know many people who grew up in the valley and are raising families there. My friends and their families suffer from asthma and a wide variety of health impacts directly related to the sewage and the Saturn Blvd hot spot. Many have given up hope that anything will be done to alleviate their suffering. Supervisors Aguirre and Lawson Remer’s dedication to this oft-neglected community and determination to immediately mitigate the effects of the sewage crisis while more permanent solutions are in the works offer a breath of fresh air—literally. I urge the board to support our community by dedicating funding for fixing the outfall and continuing research into the devastating effects of the sewage crisis.