San Diego, CA
San Diego County faces multifront health threat amid transboundary sewage flow from Mexico
A transboundary sewage stream that regularly flows from Tijuana, Mexico, into San Diego County may be creating a multifrontal public health crisis — as a noxious mix of chemicals and pathogens makes their way into households not just via water, but also through air and soil.
The cross-border contamination — a result of inadequate infrastructure and urbanization — poses a persistent public health threat with significant socioeconomic and legal implications, according to a new white paper, shared with The Hill prior to its public release on Tuesday.
Of particular concern is the possibility of the reemergence of diseases that had previously been eradicated in California, microbes carrying antibiotic-resistant genes and industrial chemicals that have long been banned in the U.S., per the authors.
“I don’t go to Imperial Beach anymore — I used to go all the time, quite frequently,” lead author Paula Stigler Granados, an associate professor at San Diego State University’s School of Public Health, told The Hill.
“As a scientist, when you know, it’s really hard to turn that brain off,” she continued. “Especially now that we’re talking about the contaminants becoming aerosolized, it really has me paused.”
Aerosolization refers to the suspension of waterborne pathogens and compounds in the air — a mounting concern in Southern California’s Imperial Beach, a border-adjacent city that has borne the brunt of an unrelenting transboundary sewage crisis.
The fetid flow, which results from insufficient sewage treatment on the Mexican side of the border, ends up in San Diego County both via ocean plumes and the Tijuana River Watershed — which passes through Baja California before reentering its U.S. counterpart.
Area residents have had some room for hope in recent weeks, after Mexico began overhauling an obsolete facility that releases millions of gallons of sewage daily into the Pacific Ocean.
But on the U.S. side of the border, the South Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant — which treats some of Tijuana’s waste through an international treaty — is also failing to pull its weight.
Congress in 2020 allocated $300 million toward renovating the site, but officials warned that the plant requires $150 million more to function properly. President Biden then asked lawmakers this past fall to authorize an additional $310 million, but that approval has yet to occur.
Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), who serves San Diego County, last month called upon Congress to approve Biden’s request, describing a situation in which sewage is spewing “dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide into the air around people’s homes.”
The congressman also requested that the San Diego-based Prebys Foundation commission the new white paper, which synthesizes about 60 reports related to the region’s wastewater woes and sheds lights on the extent of the public health crisis.
“What we realized was over the years, a lot of people had been doing research on this, but the body of it was fairly opaque,” Peters told The Hill.
The congressman said his office first became involved in this issue following the 2017 breakdown of Tijuana’s sewage infrastructure, which prompted a swell of comments on the matter from his constituents.
“We started out just getting beach closures every once a while, but it was hundreds and hundreds of days a year,” Peters said.
While border communities like Imperial Beach face the most chronic effects of the crisis, other parts of San Diego County — including the peninsular resort city of Coronado — also endure regular episodes of contamination.
Peters acknowledged that as opposed to Imperial Beach, most of his district, which includes Coronado, cannot be defined as an environmental justice community — a largely low-income or marginalized population with a disproportionate pollution burden =
But he stressed that Coronado’s beaches do serve the Latino residents of the South Bay, while also hosting Navy SEAL, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard operations.
To that end, Peters and fellow San Diego County Democrats — Reps. Sara Jacobs, Mike Levin and Juan Vargas, the latter of whom represents Imperial Beach — recently sent a letter to Navy leadership about how the pollution is affecting SEAL training.
The writers expressed their concern that if the contamination is not curtailed, further training cancellations could occur and “harm the Navy and our military readiness.”
Since 2018, the International Boundary and Water Commission has documented more than 100 billion gallons of wastewater entering the U.S. through the Tijuana River, according to the authors of the white paper.
“It’s just a toxic soup,” Stigler Granados said.
The continuous stream of sewage, the authors stressed, has led to more than 700 consecutive days of beach closures and taken a toll on the local economy and tourism.
The contamination not only poses public health risks but also creates environmental justice issues, as border-adjacent communities are often equipped with fewer resources and face a heightened risk of chronic diseases, the authors noted.
Most under threat are vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children, as well as lifeguards Navy personnel, first responders and border patrol agents, according to the paper.
Within the region’s soil sediments, scientists have identified more than 170 compounds — such as toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), prohibited pesticides like chlordane and DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals and phthalates.
“The pesticides that we’re finding in the environment and soil — they are banned in the U.S.,” Sigler Granados said.
Many of these chemicals “are known to be persistent, bio-accumulative, carcinogenic, toxic and can be resuspended in water and air during weather events in both the wet and dry seasons, exposing nearby communities,” according to the white paper.
Levels of arsenic and cadmium in area soil samples exceeded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thresholds, while concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan were comparable to those in sewage sludge, per the paper.
As far as the region’s water is concerned, the white paper catalogs a smorgasbord of viruses, bacteria and parasites found in samples, including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, salmonella, vibrio, streptococcus, tuberculosis, listeria, trichomoniasis.
Also of concern to the researchers was the heightened presence of microbes carrying antibiotic-resistant genes, as well as antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli and Legionella bacteria.
In addition, they flagged an emergence of zoonotic pathogens — those that can jump from animals to humans — in bottle nosed dolphins that have died of bacteria-induced sepsis.
Water tests have also confirmed the presence of pesticides, herbicides, volatile organic compounds, acetone, methanol, xylene, plasticizers, hormones and flame retardants. Out of 392 total organic chemical contaminants identified, 224 appeared on regulatory lists, while 175 were indexed under the EPA’s Toxic Substance Control Act.
“A substantial number of contaminants of emerging concern were detected in the water for the first time,” the authors stated.
The researchers stressed that pollutants and pathogens can become airborne through aerosolization and travel long distances — entering homes, schools and businesses and reaching those who have had no direct contact with the water.
Reiterating the risks posed by this exposure pathway, the writers cited a March 2023 study, in which a University of California San Diego team showed that polluted coastal waters are ending up in the atmosphere as aerosol. While the public health threat is difficult to quantify, the researchers found that the “sea spray” mix contains bacteria, viruses and chemical compounds.
“You can respire them and breathe them in and become ill as a result of that,” Stigler Granados said, noting that these pathogens can also settle on objects like playground equipment.
Although linking environmental exposures to specific illnesses remains a challenge, Stigler Granados said that an urgent care clinic in San Diego County has been reporting upticks in gastrointestinal illnesses following storm events.
But because many of these diseases are self-limiting, county-level epidemiological surveillance would be needed to explore any potential correlations, she added.
Going forward, Stigler Granados and her colleagues called for increased air quality monitoring, community exposure investigations and U.S.-Mexico strategic plans that prioritize infrastructure.
“Investments by Congress and federal and state agencies are desperately needed,” the authors concluded.
The white paper’s conclusions may have a local, San Diego region focus, but they are indicative of a broader national problem, according to Eli Dueker, a microbe aerosolization expert who was not involved in the research.
“This is actually happening across the United States and has been a very long time,” Dueker, an associate professor of environmental and urban studies at Bard College, told The Hill.
His research focuses on the connections between water and air quality in New York’s Hudson River, as well as hazard-designated sites like the state’s Newtown Creek and the Gowanus Canal.
“It is a new way to think about water quality,” said Dueker. “Whether or not you engage with the water, if you’re also breathing the water, that’s a whole different ballgame.”
Dueker credited the white paper’s authors for “laying out the kinds of things that people can be exposed to,” while noting that antibiotic-resistant pathogens are present in sewage nationwide.
“I also really appreciated the fact that they center in on the communities that are most vulnerable to this,” he added. “That’s how policy should be generated.”
With regards to federal policy and the congressional funding question, Peters said he’s “pretty hopeful” that his fellow lawmakers will approve Biden’s $310 million request.
Paloma Aguirre, mayor of Imperial Beach, told The Hill in an email that while her city is grateful for the president’s appeal, they need more federal and state support “to tackle this public health ticking time bomb.”
From an engineering perspective, Peters explained, fixing the South Bay plant is simple, but the international border and federal funding aspect creates a complicated renovation process.
“We’ve taken as many federal officials out to the plan as we can — get them out there on a nice, stinky day,” he continued. “It’s pretty remarkable.”
If the money comes through, Peters said it will double the size of the facility and provide for ongoing maintenance. Yet in the interim, he described a status quo in which Mexico is now ahead of the U.S. in terms of treatment plant reconstruction efforts.
“It’s very fashionable to blame Mexico from Washington,” Peters said, noting that Mexico is meeting its “side of the bargain” in terms of treaty obligations.
“I don’t want to be lagging behind Mexico,” the congressman added. “They’re setting the pace, and we need to catch up.”
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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – For many families, libraries are a safe space for kids after school and a place to study.
After community outcry, the city is scaling down some of its proposed budget cuts, bringing the original $6.3 million in cuts to libraries down to $4.8 million.
Patrick Stewart, CEO of Library Foundation SD, said the change is a step in the right direction.
“We are very pleased. I think this moves the needle in the right direction.”
Mayor Gloria’s revised budget proposal restores funding focused on youth-centered programs, which includes bringing back library hours in Council Districts 4, 8, and 9 — those in underserved communities.
“This is City Heights and San Isidro, Barrio Logan, and Oak Park, and traditionally, those are smaller branches. And the kids and the families in those communities frankly, they use their library very differently than in a lot of other communities, and it’s a lifeline to them,” said Stewart.
The City Heights library is among those included in the mayor’s revised budget to restore funding. While library officials say this is a good first step, there is still concern about long-term financial challenges.
In order to voice concerns about how deep the cuts go, the Library Foundation has created a way for supporters to express that through postcards. Thousands of cards have been mailed directly to Mayor Gloria and councilmembers.
Stewart said the effort is making an impact.
“They’re seeing that this is hundreds and hundreds of people that are taking this very seriously, so it helps them to know immediately what their community feels like when it comes to these proposed cuts,” he added.
The restored funding would also keep Monday hours at Carmel Valley Library and protect the North Clairemont Library branch from closure.
Library officials remain optimistic as the revised budget heads back to the City Council.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
A man suspected of a fatal shooting in Barrio Logan was arrested Tuesday.
Benito Garcia Jr., 31, was arrested in the 3600 block of Grand Avenue in San Marcos at about 1 p.m. Tuesday for allegedly gunning down 64-year-old Raul Torres near the east end of the Coronado Bridge, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Patrol officers responding to an anonymous report of a shooting found the mortally wounded victim on a sidewalk in the 2000 block of National Avenue, near Chicano Park, shortly after 10 p.m. last Tuesday. Torres died at the scene, SDPD Lt. Lou Maggi said.
Police have not disclosed a suspected motive for the slaying.
Garcia was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of first- degree murder. He was being held without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Sightsee, savor and catch a wide range of live entertainment this weekend in San Diego. Take advantage of the La Jolla Half Marathon and the La Jolla Historical Society’s Secret Garden Tour, each offering a scenic trip through the coastal community. Wine and dine with bottomless portions at the Cheese & Libation Expo, the 35th annual Mama’s Day and the return of the Over the Line Craft BeerFest. Plus, whether your heart lies in the theater (Purpose, Kim’s Convenience), the concert crowd (P!nk, MGK) or the unpredictable stage of the San Diego International Fringe Festival, there are numerous ways to be wowed.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Cheese & Libation Expo
May 15-17
Treat yourself to a curated assortment of cheese, trinkets and bubbly beverages throughout the three-day Cheese & Libation Expo at BRICK Liberty Station. The expo will kick off Friday from 5-8 p.m. with an industry preview night and continue Saturday from 1-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with boutique shopping, an all-you-can-eat (and drink) menu and goodie bags for attendees. Ticket options include individual session tickets ($82-$109), single-day kid’s tickets ($13) weekend passes ($162) and preview night entry ($135).
2863 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma
Over the Line Craft BeerFest & OTL Tournament
May 16
Spend your Saturday on the beach with a local beer in hand during Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s yearly Over the Line Craft BeerFest & OTL Tournament. Newbies, regulars and seasoned aficionados will go to bat this Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Mariner’s Point Park, with the BeerFest featuring live music, food trucks and unlimited pours from twenty craft breweries from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ticket options include all-ages general admission ($6), 21+ BeerFest admission ($45) and tournament entry ($162), which comes with three festival wristbands.
1215 Mariners Way, Mission Bay
Mama’s Day
May 16
Mama’s Kitchen knows the importance of home cooking, which is why the nonprofit’s signature event serves a dual purpose: celebrating the city’s gastronomy and ensuring San Diegans experiencing chronic illness continue to receive home-delivered meals. This Saturday from 5:30-9:30 p.m., Mama’s Kitchen will hold its 35th annual Mama’s Day, a 21+ fundraiser with live entertainment, opportunity drawings and unlimited tastings from local chefs and eateries at Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Ticket options include general admission ($200) and VIP admission ($300), which includes entry to an exclusive drinks and hors d’oeuvres reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
1 Park Boulevard, Embarcadero
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Curebound Concert for Cures: P!nk at Petco Park
May 15
“Raise a Glass” to cutting-edge adult and pediatric cancer research this Friday (8 p.m.) during Curebound’s annual Concert for Cures. After Sir Elton John rocked Petco Park last May, this year’s headlining superstar will be P!nk, whose shows combine powerful vocals, nostalgic crowd pleasers and Cirque du Soleil-style theatrics for a scintillating experience. Tickets start at $56 for this concert; proceeds from this performance will go towards Curebound.
100 Park Boulevard, Downtown
Free Music Festivals
May 16 & 17
See a plethora of live music across a trio of free festivals this weekend. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Goldenpalooza returns to Golden Hill Recreation Center with live dance and musical performances, local food vendors and an array of free and paid activities; paid activity tickets ($5-$20) are available online. Then, several community bands will hit the Old Poway Park stage for the Community Band Festival this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Finally, on Sunday from noon to midnight, see student-run performances ranging from acoustic sets to after-hours DJ sets during The Arcades at UC San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Music Center.
The Arcades: 9410 Russell Lane, La Jolla | Goldenpalooza: 2600 Golf Course Drive, Golden Hill | Community Band Festival: 14132 Midland Road, Poway
MGK at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 17
Despite the two-middle-fingers-up approach that powers his bad boy persona, the artist MGK, formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly, longs for understanding. His decade-plus journey from hip-hop phenom to punk convert to revelatory pop rocker has led to Lost Americana, the latest chapter in MGK’s rebellious undertaking and a search for the freedom he’s always desired. This Sunday at 7 p.m., MGK will perform at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre with special guests Wiz Khalifa and Beauty School Dropout. Tickets start at $35 for this concert.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
San Diego International Fringe Festival
May 12-24
Home to the weird, the wonderful, and the extravagantly odd, the San Diego International Fringe Festival returns for year 14 with a lineup of 63 new shows to explore. Cabarets, magic shows, interactive adventures and much more can be found across 17 San Diego venues, beginning with free sneak previews this Tuesday (7 p.m.) at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater. In addition to hosting this year’s World Fringe Congress, the festival will venture to 3 international sites as part of its new Baja California Pilot Program. Fringe tags ($7), which can be purchased online or at any participating venue, are required for all ticketed shows. All ticket sales will go to the artists.
Citywide
Purpose at La Jolla Playhouse
May 12 – June 7
Just one year after making his Broadway debut with a revival of his 2014 Off-Broadway play Appropriate, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins returned to the pinnacle of American theater with Purpose. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2025, Purpose focuses on the Jaspers—stewards of a Black political dynasty in Chicago—and the family tensions that begin to crack their seemingly perfect façade. West Coast theatergoers will get to see Purpose for the first time during its upcoming production at La Jolla Playhouse. Tickets range from $30 to $79 for preview performances this Tuesday-Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.
2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla
Occupy Thirdspace III: The Park at San Diego Central Library
May 12 – July 25
What once was a binational gathering space nowadays reflects the deteriorated relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. Though American access to Friendship Park has been restricted since 2020, Occupy Thirdspace III: The Park posits that the landmark’s unifying spirit can survive. Thus, Friends of International Friendship Park, Las Comadres and Art Made Between Opposite Sides (AMBOS) have visually illustrated the site’s importance and enduring legacy. Occupy Thirdspace III: The Park will have an opening reception this Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at San Diego Central Library with bites and a live vinyl set by DJ Betty Bangs.
330 Park Boulevard, Downtown
The Cost of Silence at Shift Gallery
May 15
The validity and visibility of our innermost feelings is the centerpiece of Isabelle Atkinson’s one-night-only installation at Shift Gallery. Tying in with Mental Health Awareness Month, The Cost of Silence underlines the importance of the hidden battles being fought and draws from Atkinson’s own challenging moments. The evening will feature an emotive range of music and activities, to go along with a photography installation, poetry readings and a short film screening. Admission is $45 for the general public and $34 for artists, creatives and entrepreneurs.
4847 Newport Avenue, Ocean Beach
Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe
May 15 – June 14
Though many Americans fell in love with Kim’s Convenience via its successful sitcom adaptation, the story originated in 2011 as a stage play. Written by Ins Choi, who portrays the Kims’ stubborn but endearing patriarch Appa, Kim’s Convenience follows a Korean-Canadian family who live in Toronto and own a neighborhood convenience store. The Kims are easy to root for, and they represent the complexity of immigrant families balancing assimilation and maintaining their heritage. Tickets start at $40 for the production’s local premiere at The Old Globe, with performances this Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Soccer Weekend Doubleheader at Snapdragon Stadium
May 15 & 16
San Diego’s soccer die-hards can support their hometown and receive festive giveaways this weekend at Snapdragon Stadium. On Friday (7 p.m.), the San Diego Wave will face Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit and celebrate AANHPI Night with performances and a Wave-themed aloha shirt giveaway while supplies last; tickets start at $27 for this match. The following night at 6:30 p.m., the first 20K fans through the gates for San Diego FC vs. FC Cincinnati will receive an “El Paletero” bobblehead depicting forward Anders Dreyer, an elite distributor of goals and assists. Tickets start at $30 for this match.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
La Jolla Half Marathon
May 16
Run point-to-point beside the Pacific Ocean this Saturday during the La Jolla Half Marathon. Racers can choose from the La Jolla Shores 5K, a speedy 10K starting at Torrey Pines Mesa or a hilly 13.1 miles from Del Mar Fairgrounds to La Jolla Cove, all of which offer a morning of majestic coastal exercise. All races will start at 6:30 a.m. and finish with a festival featuring recovery activities like cold plunges, massage chairs, and red light therapy, plus a complimentary beer for 21+ racers at Ellen Browning Scripps Park. Registration is $85 for the 5K, $131 for the 10K and $191 for the half marathon; all finishers will receive a medal and a dry tech T-shirt.
5K: La Jolla Shores Drive and Horizon Way, La Jolla; 10K: North Torrey Pines Road & National University System Driveway, La Jolla; Half Marathon: 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
La Jolla Secret Garden Tour
May 16
Admire the greenery behind the gates of 6 private homes during the La Jolla Historical Society’s Secret Garden Tour fundraiser this Saturday. For one day a year, several residents open up their yards for visitors, with docents, musicians and plein air artists on hand to accentuate the tranquil spaces. Plus, the public can shop the free Secret Garden Tour Boutique at Wisteria Cottage, where ticketholders will receive the secret list of tour locations. Registration for the self-driving tour (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) is $55 for LJHS members and $65 for non-members.
780 Prospect Street, La Jolla
Ocean Beach Kite Festival
May 16
Kids can create their own kites and learn how to fly them this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at one of the city’s oldest community traditions. During Ocean Beach Kiwanis’ 79th annual Kite Festival at Robb Field, young kitemakers will receive free materials and tips from experts before getting to test their kite-flying skills at a handful of aerial games. This free, family-friendly event will also include prizes for the best kites, carnival rides, food trucks and a craft vendor fair.
2525 Bacon Street, Ocean Beach
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Asian Pacific Cultural Festival of San Diego
May 16
Asian Culture & Media Alliance and the House of Pacific Relations invite all to the free 13th annual Asian Pacific Cultural Festival of San Diego this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Balboa Park’s International Cottages. Attendees can check out food and merchandise vendors, plus live performances from local performing arts troupes and musical acts, including San Diego Taiko, Anandha Nritya and Imahen Taotao Tano, intended to highlight the cultural traditions of Asia and the Pacific Islands.
2191 Pan American West Road, Balboa Park
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