IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. — There have been over 500 consecutive days of beach closures in the South Bay, and Imperial Beach residents are feeling frustrated.
“Something needs to be done about it," said resident, Haybat Mohabbati. “It's sad to live so close to the beach but you can't use it."
"It is very frustrating I mean, especially on hot days they’re constantly putting these signs up saying we cannot go in. After I while I think families just ignore it," added Imperial County resident, Cesar Rodriguez.
Mohabbati and his family were among some beachgoers who had to pack up shortly after seeing the signs warning people to stay out of the water.
“The inconvenience for people – finally this year we got some nice weather now you can't enjoy the beach," he continued.
With no end in sight, residents say the closures are having a major impact on businesses and tourism.
“These places all look empty before it was packed you couldn't find parking,” added Mohabbati.
Efforts to stop cross-border pollution continue on both sides of the border.
Within the past two weeks, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre sent a letter to the White House, urging the Biden Administration to take action against the sewage crisis and to issue a federal state of emergency.
In her letter, the mayor states that “the same level of urgency, funding, and comprehensive action that is applied to other national emergencies, whether natural or man-made, must be extended to the pollution crisis in the Tijuana River.”
Despite the warning signs, people still take the risk by getting in.
“You don’t know the effect it could have on their health," said Mohabbati.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors will hold a public meeting on June 27 to consider declaring a local emergency and request a federal state of emergency.
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