Some Movement on a Tijuana River Sewage Solution
Beaches remain closed from the border to south Coronado, but a slough of officials in recent days has elevated calls to fund a long-term solution to pollution from the Tijuana River.
Beaches remain closed from the border to south Coronado, but a slough of officials in recent days has elevated calls to fund a long-term solution to pollution from the Tijuana River.
The county Department of Environmental Health issued a water contact closure for the northern boundary of Torrey Pines State Beach, north of Carmel Valley Road in the city of Del Mar, due to a sewage spill. The sewage spill has been contained, but an estimated release of 1,800 gallons of effluent entered the storm drain, resulting in potential impacts to beach water quality, according to the DEH.
The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health announced Wednesday it has extended the existing water contact closure area at the Tijuana Slough shoreline north to include the Imperial Beach shoreline. Sewage-contaminated runoff in the Tijuana River has been entering the Tijuana Estuary, and observations indicate contamination of ocean water now extends from the International Border north to the Imperial Beach shoreline, DEH officials said.
Water pollution from Tijuana sewage runoff has once again shuttered the Imperial Beach shoreline. The County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health on Saturday extended north the existing beach water-contact closure area at the Tijuana Slough shoreline to now also include the Imperial Beach shoreline.
The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health issued a General Rain Advisory on Tuesday directing swimmers, surfers and others to avoid water contact at all beaches and bays following recent rainfall. The agency said swimming, surfing and diving should be avoided during rain and for 72 hours following rainfall.
The agency said with rain comes urban runoff that may contain large amounts of bacteria from sources such as animal waste, soil and decomposing vegetation. This runoff can cause bacteria levels to rise in ocean and bay waters especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers and lagoon outlets, according to the department.