- Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the North American Development Bank
- First coordination meeting for the study took place May 17 in San Diego
San Diego, California – A new study is being launched to evaluate the capacity and conditions of an existing diversion system to prevent transboundary flows from the Tijuana River in the city of Tijuana, Baja California from entering the United States, as well as to identify infrastructure improvements to reduce adverse water quality impacts to the Pacific Ocean.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC/CILA), the Mexican National Water Commission (CONAGUA), the North American Development Bank (NADB), and the local water utility, Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana (CESPT), held the first stakeholder coordination meeting on May 17 to introduce the consultant selected to perform the study, share the objectives and communicate upcoming milestones of the study. The meeting also provided the audience with the opportunity to ask questions regarding the scope of work for the study, as well as to share their expectations for the outcome of the study.
The study is intended to provide technically feasible alternatives for improving or expanding existing infrastructure and/or constructing complementary infrastructure in Mexico and/or the U.S., as well as options to optimize the operation of existing facilities during and after a rain event to reduce the duration of transboundary river flows from storms, among other issues.
“NADB is providing a technical assistance grant for almost $240,000 through its Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP), which is funded by EPA,” informed Alex Hinojosa, NADB Managing Director. “We believe that this study will provide the best alternatives to increase capacity while diverting flows and ultimately address this significant transboundary issue in benefit of residents on both sides of the border in this region.”
The Tijuana River flows from Mexico into the United States and discharges to the Pacific Ocean through the Tijuana River Estuary. The flow of the river, at any given time, may be composed of storm water, effluent from wastewater treatment plants located in Mexico, “fugitive” untreated wastewater streams, and other unidentified sources. Some of these flow components may impair the quality of the river water and may lead to beach closures in San Diego County. In addition to water contaminants, the river may also carry trash and debris that may impact the operation of critical infrastructure.
Dry-weather flows are intercepted in Mexico as intended most of the time. However, under certain conditions, such as failures in the collection system or the river diversion infrastructure in Tijuana, river flows may reach the United States. During wet conditions or rainy season, river water frequently reaches the United States.
NADB has proactively been working since 2016 with local, state and federal governments to be part of the solution to address the spills of raw wastewater discharges to the Tijuana River. Over the past 25 years, the bank has participated in water and wastewater projects worth more than $138 million in the Tijuana-Rosarito region.
Source: NADB
