While the flow of contaminated sewage into our community from Tijuana has been ongoing problem for years, this recent story in the San Diego Union Tribune: “Border Patrol Agents said Tijuana Sewage Worse Now Than In Previous Decades” does a good job highlighting the adverse affect it is having our Border Patrol Agents and their families. I have also been made aware of Navy SEAL exercises and functions being moved and postponed as result of this situation. So, aside from the critical public health, environmental and economic impacts, the Tijuana sewage situation has now become a national security issue. We need to be proactive in addressing this problem and holding Mexico accountable as well. It is for this reason I sent the following letter to the Department of State and the Environmental Protection Agency asking for their direct involvement.
Comments 1
Quite a number of years ago, when the U.S. Naval Base at Subic Bay was still being used, the credit union on the base boundary was taken over during a bank robbery gone bad. A SEAL team was placed in the river behind the bank to block that escape route. For those of you there, you can attest that the Olongapo River had the nickname of “S*** River”. After the hostage situation came to a close, the SEALs all ended up needing medical attention for the infections they caught from laying in that water on the river bank. It’s the same with the TJ River. Years ago Mexico wanted the U.S. to build them a new sewage treatment plant. When we balked, Mexico, knowing the currents would always carry their problem to the U.S., did nothing (and I can’t count the number of times the Imperial Beach shore is closed due this). Perhaps a temporary closure of the border, stopping all that money going south, will bring a renewed interest on the part of Mexico in funding their own sewage treatment plant.