Residents of South Bay, California, have been left frustrated by the city’s response to toxic sewage spills in their local river that caused an awful smell and health concerns.
The Tijuana River experiences frequent sewage spills, causing a gut-wrenching odor to penetrate the Tijuana River Valley in San Diego.
Californians living in the Imperial Beach area have also complained about respiratory problems and other health complications that they believe are linked to the waste in the river.
After people spent years complaining and begging for help, San Diego’s storm water crews stepped in to place riprap – large rocks – in the river to stop the sewage’s foul smell from plaguing the valley on Wednesday.
But community members were less than thrilled about this ‘solution,’ claiming the rocks did not do anything to solve the problem.
‘They’re just hiding the beast,’ Tijuana River Valley resident Gabriel Uribe told NBC San Diego.
‘It’s not stopping the smell. It’s not doing anything. I don’t know what the whole purpose was. It’s still splashing.’
Uribe told the outlet that he has lived right next to the river for about five years. He said he has been concerned about potential health consequences of living so close to the sewage.
San Diego’s storm water crews stepped in to place riprap – large rocks – in the river to stop the sewage’s foul smell from plaguing the valley
UC San Diego researcher Dr. Kim Prather found high levels of toxic gas hydrogen sulfide in the river’s area
‘My lungs, shortness in breath, my throat burns, my eyes, my headaches,’ Uribe said, citing symptoms he has experienced since living there.
According to the San Diego Coastkeeper, the ‘failing sewage infrastructure in Mexico’ and ‘negligent operation of the South Bay Plant by the US government’ are to blame for the pollution and smell.
City officials said that putting the rocks in the water was supposed to limit splashing, which is believed to make the sewage smell worse, in the river flow.
UC San Diego researcher Dr. Kim Prather explained to NBC: ‘Anytime you have that cascade of water, gases, aerosols, all that stuff gets out.
‘So if there’s a way to break up that turbulence, that would definitely make a huge difference in the short-term.’
Prather said she was not consulted about the decision to place the rocks in the river and that only time will tell if this method will be effective.
The researcher also tested the air quality at the site, detecting high levels of toxic gas hydrogen sulfide.
Since the rocks have been installed, the foamy, toxic tides are less visible in the area, NBC reported.
Gabriel Uribe is skeptical about whether or not the rocks with solve the problem, and is concerned for his health
The rocks are supposed to break up the tides and prevent splashing, hopefully minimizing the odor
Uribe told the outlet: ‘I’m skeptical about all this. This is just a little band-aid on a terrible cut. It’s not going to solve the issue. They need to stop that from flowing.’
Both Uribe and researchers are curious about how these rocks will impact air quality data in the area.
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre said she has been advocating for state and federal intervention regarding the sewage. She told NBC that she values the city’s efforts, but more needs to be done.
Aguirre said: ‘Them taking action, every bit helps while we continue to wait for an emergency declaration.
‘We need a lot more federal intervention. What the city of San Diego is doing should be replicated at a very large scale so that we can begin to see relief in the harm that our communities are experiencing.’
The mayor said she is going to the White House next week to ask President Joe Biden to approve a disaster declaration or expedite efforts to address the crisis.
She explained to NBC that declaring a state of emergency could help waive permits for projects for the river.
Aguirre called on Gov. Gavin Newson in September, urging him to join the California legislatures that are in support of the declaration of a state of emergency.
Researchers are curious about how these rocks will impact air quality data in the area
Since the rocks have been installed, the foamy, toxic tides are less visible in the area
She said of her appeal: ‘Local officials have been advocating for a comprehensive solution for decades, but we can no longer shoulder this burden alone. It’s time for the State of California to step up and support our demand for the White House to declare this a national emergency.
‘Imperial Beach and residents in south San Diego County are slowly being poisoned by this crisis, and our voices are not enough.’
The community has been rallying behind these efforts to get the river’s contamination recognized on a larger scale to reach a comprehensive solution, with local second-graders sharing letters to Biden about the sewage crisis.
ABC 10 News San Diego reported that second-graders living near the contaminated Imperial Beach shared their worries about the toxic waste in their waters.
Naima Bivens told the outlet, reading her letter out loud: ‘Dear President Joe Biden, we have a problem. Imperial Beach is very dirty. Can you please say this is an emergency?’
‘It’s making people sick…we cannot swim in this water. Sometimes, if it smells so much, we have to stay inside,’ another student, Kayden Graham said.
Fellow second-grader Sophia Willmott wrote: ‘We need you to save the ocean. The pipes in Mexico have broken down, and now the sewage is pouring into our ocean; the animals that live there will die.’
