EPA Strengthens U.S.-Mexico Pact to Combat Tijuana River Sewage Crisis

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a new agreement, known as Minute 333, between the United States and Mexico to address the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis. This agreement emphasizes the need for infrastructure improvements on the Mexico side, accounting for the anticipated population growth in Tijuana.

According to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, this plan includes the development of a Tijuana water infrastructure master plan, the construction of a sediment basin in Matadero Canyon, and the expansion of the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant from 18.26 million gallons per day to 43.37 million.

The agreement also establishes a binational working group to assess the feasibility of creating an underwater outfall pipe and mandates Mexico to complete specific wastewater treatment projects by December 2028.

Since 2018, more than 200 billion gallons of sewage have flowed into the Tijuana River, affecting public health and environmental quality in the San Diego area. Local officials, including Imperial Beach Mayor Mitchell D.

McKay, expressed gratitude for the renewed focus on addressing this critical issue, highlighting the importance of measurable infrastructure progress to solve the transboundary sewage crisis. This agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year, which included a commitment from Mexico to expedite $93 million in improvements to their sewage system.