# Tijuana River sewage pollution mitigation efforts

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/tijuana-river-sewage-pollution-mitigation-efforts
> Updated: 2026-09-02T16:05:18.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

San Diego County officials have moved to address long-standing raw sewage pollution in the Tijuana River through a multi-billion dollar infrastructure proposal. The plan focuses on designing and building a treatment plant on the U.S. side of the border to capture contaminated water before it impacts local communities, schools, and beaches.

To fund these efforts, supervisors have proposed utilizing nearly $1 billion in bonds, potentially supported by the ‘Protect San Diego County Health and Safety Act’. This proposed half-cent sales tax, which voters would decide on in November, could generate approximately $80 million annually specifically for Tijuana River improvements.

Following the initial proposal, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the multi-phase plan in a 4-1 vote. The approved funding includes $1.8 million for the design of a local diversion and treatment system and $4 million to repair deteriorating underground pipes on Saturn Boulevard, a location where pollution can become aerosolized. While the majority supported the measure to mitigate health risks and beach closures, one supervisor dissented, arguing that the county should form a coalition with other affected cities rather than acting alone.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-02: San Diego County approves plan to treat Tijuana River sewage

San Diego County supervisors approved a plan to design a wastewater treatment system to combat Tijuana River sewage pollution, potentially utilizing new tax revenue to fund long-term infrastructure.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/san-diego-county-approves-plan-to-treat-tijuana-river-sewage

### 2026-08-31: San Diego officials propose billion-dollar plan to treat Tijuana River sewage

San Diego officials have unveiled a plan to build a U.S.-based treatment system to capture raw sewage in the Tijuana River, potentially funded by $1 billion in bonds and a proposed local sales tax.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/san-diego-officials-propose-billion-dollar-plan-to-treat-tijuana-river-sewage

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Cite as: Tijuana River sewage pollution mitigation efforts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/tijuana-river-sewage-pollution-mitigation-efforts