IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. — An Imperial Beach mother was among the many residents pleading for change Thursday night at a public meeting on the effects of sewage spills from the Tijuana River.
The latest border sewage spill involved 94 million gallons of polluted water crossing over the border – forcing the closure of San Diego beaches. The International Boundary and Water Commission said that due to administrative reasons there was a three-day delay in closing the beaches.
Lacey Kennedy Cornejo told the IBWC that her 14-year-old son, Kaiden Gridner, developed a critical auto immune disease while surfing in the Imperial Beach because of the Tijuana sewage spills.
Overtime, Cornejo has gone to countless meetings on the border sewage crisis.
“What is it going to take? Are we going to lose family members and have sick people? The excuses are so exhausting, it is exhausting to hear the financial portion, the statistics portion and nothing ever changes,” said Kennedy.
Navy SEALs and Border Patrol agents have developed mersa and other illnesses because of the polluted waters from Mexico.
“That is precisely why we are suing the IBWC, because it is decades of inaction, decades of lack of accountability,” said Paloma Aguirre.
In the next few weeks, San Diego leaders, including Imperial Beach and San Diego’s mayor, will travel to the White House to urge lawmakers and the president to fund the EPA’s $200 million dollar proposal in upgrades and projects at the Tijuana River.
“I think we have a chance to get in his ear, but what we really need to do is drag him by the ear if necessary and have him walk this border,” said Baron Partlow.
Cornejo said she had stayed quite about the border sewage crisis for too long, and she will not anymore in order to protect her community and her child.
“There shouldn’t be more excuses, and we continue to fight. We continue to be brave,” she said.
The biggest challenge any work south of the border requires Mexico to match at least 50%. Senator Ben Hueso’s office has secured $15 million to help with the San Diego County's 26 Tijuana River Projects to improve water quality.