Have South Bay residents suffered health problems because of ongoing issues with Tijuana River sewage? Many think so.
Nearly 70% of those who took part in a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey believe that at least one person in their household had a symptom due to exposure to border sewage, officials said Thursday.
More, 80%, believe their quality of life has been negatively impacted, while 67% said that their health had gotten worse in recent years as some experts raised alarms about the contamination.
Another slice, 18%, had sought medical care as a result of the sewage crisis.
The results of the survey, the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response or CASPER, were released nearly three months after it was conducted, over three days in October. Surveyors visited 480 homes in South Bay communities, and made contact with someone in 333 of them. Residents in 189 homes agreed to be interviewed.
Researchers said the homes were in “select clusters” intended to represent the area.
“We are grateful to all the residents who took part in the CASPER survey and for the partnership with the CDC in getting this done,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, county interim public health officer. “These results validate the concerns residents of the South Bay have been voicing and the real impacts the sewage contamination is having on people’s lives, physical and mental health.”
The most common health concerns reported were headache, nausea or upset stomach, coughing and throat irritation.
More than 70% reported they could smell sewage inside their homes, adding that the problem got worse at night.
Other key findings from residents who responded to the survey include:
- 65% took extra steps to avoid elements like river water and beach water.
- 59% said their overall stress increased.
- 28% said they have changed their source of drinking water.
The county followed the findings with recommendations to scientists and elected officials, including using social media to share resources, educating residents about testing of drinking water, promoting mental health resources and working with local veterinarians on pet health.
The month following the CASPER survey, the federal Assessment of Chemical Exposure survey from the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry was completed. More than 2,000 San Diegans who spend time around the Tijuana River Valley and South San Diego County were asked about the effects of being exposed to contamination.
Those results should be available in the next couple of months, according to the county.
