Mexican officials broke ground Thursday for a new $33 million wastewater treatment plant in Tijuana that is expected to dramatically reduce sewage discharge by the end of the year.
The crumbling San Antonio de los Buenos plant, located near the coast about six miles south of the border, is considered one of the biggest sources of pollution reaching beaches in south San Diego County.
The old plant at Punto Bandera releases millions of gallons of raw sewage daily into the Pacific Ocean.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar and Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda.
“After more than a decade of sewage spills and persistent advocacy to recognize this crisis as a state of emergency impacting the residents of Imperial Beach, we are excited to finally celebrate this milestone,” said Aguirre.
But officials cautioned that more investment in infrastructure is necessary to ultimately fix the problem. Mexico has committed nearly $150 million for improvements, and the United States is planning to spend $300 million to upgrade the South Bay International Treatment Plant in San Ysidro.
Rep. Scott Peters praised the Mexican groundbreaking in a speech Thursday on the House floor, and said the United States should be embarrassed that it is not moving faster.
“We should be embarrassed,” he said. Mexico is acting with more urgency than we are.”
