Coronado’s shoreline closed over Memorial Day weekend as wastewater from the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis pushed bacteria into coastal waters.
The city’s southern beaches – the Silver Strand Shoreline and Coronado Beach at Avenida Lunar – closed May 23, with the northernmost stretch of Coronado Beach closing on May 24. The Silver Strand shoreline closed on May 18.
Every day, millions of gallons of untreated sewage from Tijuana are spilled into the Pacific Ocean, which has caused decades of contamination, beach closures, and health concerns.
Last summer, Imperial Beach hit 1,000 consecutive days of beach closures, and Coronado’s beaches were also closed for much of the season. Although Imperial Beach did ultimately reopen, it has been closed again since Jan. 18.
Scientists have warned of health concerns due to bacteria levels in the air and in the water, and for many South Bay residents, a pungent odor has grown commonplace.
Agencies in both the US and Mexico are working to repair the failing infrastructure that causes the ongoing pollution. Mexico is currently in the second phase of repairing its International Collector, which carries Tijuana’s wastewater to treatment plants and is prone to leaks. It is unclear if the weekend’s closures were related to the project, although the US International Boundary and Water Commission said ahead of the project that excess sewage flow might arise from the project.
During the project’s first phase, Mexico diverted excess sewage into the Tijuana River, which ultimately caused beach closures in Coronado.
Mexico has recently completed its San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant, a feat that many leaders hope will lead to more open beaches this summer. It treats 18 million gallons per day (MGD) of Tijuana’s wastewater.
In the US, the IBWC is working to repair its own infrastructure, the most notable of which is the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. The $600 rehabilitation and expansion project was launched last fall and, at the time, expected to take up to five years to complete.
Last week, the IBWC and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an acceleration of the project.
The plant’s capacity will be expanded from 25 MGD to 35 within 100 days of the May 20 announcement. Previously, that phase of the expansion was projected to take two years.
Once complete, the plant will have a 50 MGD capacity, with a peak flow limit of 75 MGD. The IBWC has not yet determined how the accelerated timeline will impact the overall project.
Meanwhile, Coronado’s beaches remained closed at the time of publication. Updated beach statuses are available on the San Diego County Beach and Bay Program website.
Sewage Plant Expansion Accelerated as EPA Pushes Mexico for ‘100 Percent Solution’ in Sewage Crisis
