According to the International Boundary and Water Commission, a pump is now working that should help to stem the toxic tide. But as NBC 7’s Omari Fleming found out, experts still have health and odor concerns.
The sewage crisis in the South Bay got a helping hand Wednesday evening from across the border. A third pump is now working that should help to stem the contaminated water, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission.
SkyRanger 7 captured video over pump station PBCILA in Tijuana, where a third pump is finally flowing. It’s sending sewage-filled water into the wastewater pump system, not the Tijuana River on the U.S. side.
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NBC 7 investigates the millions of gallons of raw sewage crossing from Tijuana into the United States every day, including how the crisis affects our health — and what must be done to end it.
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Following the border sewage crisis
“They might have addressed the one, which hopefully will eliminate some of the smell, but I don't know. I’ll believe it when I see it or smell it,” said Danny Howard, who’s hoping it will stop the stink in Imperial Beach.
Howard lives less than a half mile from the river.
“We'll find out tonight. I certainly hope so. I would really enjoy an open window," he said.
After previously pulling her researchers out of the area on Monday, Dr. Kim Prather said the pump working is good news that shows progress. The atmospheric chemist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was among the team of scientists who raced to the river.
They went to test changes in air quality on Wednesday after the IBWC data showed flows into the river were drastically reduced. But even after sending up a drone equipped with air quality sensors, it was a reading from a handheld device, similar to one that firefighters use, that sparked health experts to take precautions. Researchers moved everyone back when the device showed what seemed to have been a false alarm signaling some type of dangerous gas.
Prather says the true tests will come over time with more sophisticated equipment.
“As a scientist, we're going to measure the heck out of it, to see how much this really affects the atmosphere. And people can then report, we’ll go through the odor complaints to see if they go down, does it not spread as far?"
The millions of gallons of waste a day that run down the Tijuana River has closed Imperial Beach for more than 1,000 days.
But this third pump opening is offering hope to both scientists and affected homeowners.
“They might be able to get you into the water, but I don't think they're ever going to improve the air quality until they get, you know, help from the Tijuana side,” said Howard.
Scientists say the next few days and nights will be crucial to know how much of an impact the decreased flow will have on the atmosphere and air quality
