San Diego officials propose billion-dollar plan to treat Tijuana River sewage

San Diego County officials have proposed a multi-billion dollar plan to address the long-standing raw sewage pollution in the Tijuana River. The initiative aims to design and build a new treatment plant on the U.S. side of the border to capture and clean contaminated water before it reaches San Diego communities, schools, and beaches.

To fund the project, supervisors are looking toward nearly $1 billion in bonds. This could be supported by the “Protect San Diego County Health and Safety Act,” a proposed half-cent county sales tax that voters will decide on in November. If approved, the tax could generate approximately $360 million annually, with $80 million earmarked specifically for Tijuana River improvements.

The board has also allocated $1.8 million for the design of the diversion and treatment system, along with $4 million to address a sewage hot spot on Saturn Boulevard where pollution becomes aerosolized. Officials state the goal is to protect public health, the local economy, and the environment, while potentially removing the river from the American Rivers Conservation Group’s list of most endangered rivers.