IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. — Beaches in Imperial Beach remain closed Thursday after a private developer damaged a 60-inch pipeline south of Tijuana almost a week ago.
Millions of gallons of sewage continues to flow into the water at South Bay beaches, contaminating them and causing health and environmental dangers.
"Ultimately, it costs us tremendously. It costs us in our in our public health, right, about the health of our community and environmental health and our economy," Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre said.
In a meeting Wednesday with the U.S Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner, Mexican Commissioner Adriana Resendez, staff from the Sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission, and Victor Amador, head of the State Public Services Commission of Tijuana, Director Amador said the work for necessary repairs are underway. Amador also said CESPT staff are currently working 18 hours per day to restore the pipeline.
Their goal is to stop the sewage flow by February 22nd.
Mayor Aguirre said $300 million dollars in federal funds have been allocated to help solve this issue. The federal money will be allocated to reroute the waste water, fix the sewage pipes, and replace the sewage treatment plant in Tijuana.
Imperial Beach resident Dane Crosby has doubts this will fix the long term issue. "I've seen the plan that they have, but I don't believe it's really going to fix the issue" Crosby said, also mentioning that the water issue effects real estate prices and everyday users.
Mayor Aguirre says to fix the issue long-term, more funding from the federal government will be necessary, and working with her Mexican counterparts in addressing the problem.
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