For the first time in more than a year, the county lifted beach closures along the Imperial Beach shoreline.
Environmental officials with the county said recent testing showed the bacteria levels in the water are acceptable under state health standards.
Last year, the Imperial Beach shoreline was closed for 322 days, almost the entire year, according to county officials.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction that’s great, it will be wonderful when we can just bring the kiddos here and not have to worry…are they going to get sick from going the water and they can do all the fun things they like to do a the beach,” Heather Harris said.
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Harris is among the thousands of beachgoers relieved to hear there have been improvements in the water quality along the Imperial Beach shoreline. The beaches along the Imperial Beach Shoreline closed due to the high bacteria contamination levels in the water.
A San Diego County spokesperson said in the last two days results from daily water testing came back as acceptable under state health standards.
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County officials said it’s safe for swimmers to go into the water in areas where there are no water contamination warning signs. The only beach that remains closed is the Tijuana Slough shoreline from the international border to South Seacoast Drive.
County leaders said safe readings from water samples are required before people get in the water.
A member of the Internation Boundary and Water Commission attributes the improvement in water quality to sewage pump stations he said are diverting sewage from the Tijuana River into the Tijuana Wastewater System. He said that diversion has significantly reduced the transboundary flow of sewage.
“It’s been a big step for us in that we’ve been able to stop the flows the majority of the day and that has resulted in less flow into the ocean, and less contamination, and great news that the beaches are open,” the official said.
Although beaches along the Imperial Beach shoreline have reopened, county officials recommend that anybody considering entering the water monitor the situation daily since environmental conditions may change.
