IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. — A new, short-term strategy for tackling the ongoing sewage crisis in the Tijuana River Valley was given the green light Tuesday.
Air purifiers
San Diego County leaders unanimously approved $10,000 in funding to provide air purifiers to impacted communities.
While many residents in the Tijuana River Valley said they appreciate the county's short-term fix of providing air purifiers, they are also pushing for more substantive, long-term solutions.
"This is the worst I've seen in the 36 years I've been here," said Imperial Beach resident Lisa Pasa, adding that the persistent stench caused by sewage flows from the Tijuana River is continuing to get worse.
She believes something has to be done now, and is in strong support of this move to distribute air purifiers to residents and businesses
"A lot of people are getting sick in this area, so for them to offer that, it's wonderful," she told CBS 8.
"It's more of just covering the actual problem," countered Joel Arellano, whose mother suffers from respiratory issues. He is more dubious about the effectiveness of air purifiers to address this crisis.
Arellano actually bought one already to try to help her.
"I mean, it only helps when you are inside your house," he added. "When you leave your house then you get hit with all that."
Tuesday's unanimous vote to allocate $100,000 in county funding to provide air purifiers to impacted families and businesses is just the first step.
County leaders now must establish a program over the next few months to purchase and distribute them..
In a statement, County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas -- who proposed this move -- said that "air purifiers are an immediate, short-term measure to provide relief while broader, innovative solutions are being pursued"
"It's a step to something better, and that's what matters," said lifelong Imperial Beach resident Jazmine Marinelli, who added she appreciates the initiative.
"But I feel like we should get to the source of the issue, and that is the sewage system itself between here and Mexico," she told CBS 8. "I think we just need to figure it out!"
It's a decades-long effort that continues.
On Tuesday morning, a group of South Bay leaders came together to urge Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency, and once again called on the CDC to help with monitoring the health of residents impacted by this sewage crisis.
"Our children are getting sick, our immuno-compromised are getting sick, the elderly are getting sick," said Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre.
A spokesperson for Vargas said that the goal is to have air purifiers for residents and businesses in the Tijuana River Valley by the end of the summer.
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