Ocean access in Imperial Beach and Coronado closed Friday, after a pipeline rupture in Tijuana caused a sewage water leak. As of Saturday evening, the Coronado Shoreline reopened and a warning was issued for the Silver Strand Shoreline. Imperial Beach's shoreline remained closed.
The International Boundary and Water Commission said millions of gallons of wastewater have floated north to our beaches due to the pipe rupture. The broken pipeline normally would have transferred the sewage water much further south of San Diego, diluting it before it floated back up north to San Diego's beaches. In addition, a Tijuana-based pump station, responsible for treating the water before its released into the ocean, was shutdown as a result of the pipeline break.
Of note, Morgan Rogers with the IBWC told NBC 7 that none of the water flowing through the Tijuana River is raw sewage. Most of it is ground water or treated water.
Part of a statement from the IBWC:
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“On Saturday, July 30, 2022, CESPT, a wastewater utility in Mexico, had to shut down pump station PB1 due to complications associated with the scheduled repair of a pipeline that resulted in the compromising of pipelines PB1A and PB1B, which convey Tijuana wastewater flows from PB1 to San Antonio de los Buenos Creek and Treatment Plant (SAB), respectively.”
“As a result of the broken pipeline we have flow down the river. But also our wastewater treatment plant in the US is taking on more flow than it normally does,” Rogers said.
The Tijuana river, located just over the border fence at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, had wastewater flowing through its bank as of Friday. Unless there is a significant storm sending runoff towards the ocean, the river would be dry, according to Rogers.
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NBC 7 notified several beachgoers of the water closure as they had missed the small yellow sign indicating the contamination. Dozens entered the water anyway. It was unclear if they could hear the lifeguards’ loud speaker announcement notifying the public that water access was restricted.
Rogers told NBC 7 people should absolutely avoid the water, and heed the warnings. As of the past weekend, when a repair caused a rupture in a pipeline, 160 million gallons of wastewater has flowed into the ocean and moved towards Imperial Beach and Coronado waters, according to Rogers.
“If you swallow some water or you have some cuts, those are infection entry points. You could get sick,” said Rogers.
Beachgoers like Sami Revah, who drove down from Point Loma, were making the best of it with their out-of-town guests.
“Honestly we were here a couple days ago with different guests and they thought it was too cold anyway. It probably won’t matter,” said Revah.
Rogers expects the pipeline repairs to be completed next week.
