US, Mexico agree to stop sewage flow from Tijuana to SoCal

The United States and Mexico have agreed to a deal to stop the flow of sewage from Tijuana into Southern California

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that he signed a memorandum of understanding with his Mexican counterpart

Among the items laid out in the agreement, Mexico will allocate $93 million to complete water infrastructure projects

The deal also laid out a construction schedule, with both countries agreeing to work on a new initiative to get the project over the finish line

And what the residents of Southern California need and deserve, what they've been waiting for for too long, isn't just a solution that is a Band-Aid for that moment, but a permanent 100 percent solution

The plan also includes actions to begin immediately, including Mexico rehabilitating a wastewater collection site and diverting 10 million gallons of treated sewage per day to sites further upstream in the Tijuana River

This is something that requires total follow through. I would like to see projects get even further stress tested as we as we move forward, wherever we can get anything done faster

Millions of gallons of sewage spills into the river every day Trent Biggs a professor at San Diego State University tells Straight Arrow News the sewage issue used to only happen during storms But for almost three years now we seen ongoing sewage flow during dry weather conditions

which is a reflection of damage to some sewage collection infrastructure in Mexico

as well as a general falling behind of the infrastructure, both in the U.S. and Mexico

to keep up with population growth and increased sewage generation. This agreement comes at a time of strained relations between the two countries

because of the ongoing trade war and movement of fentanyl across the U.S. southern border

This is the first agreement that is being reached and announced between the U.S. government and the Mexican government

since these two administrations have taken office. And we're very proud of that

Whatever set of conditions, political and economic conditions, sort of align to make this possible, it's certainly a welcome development

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan. For more unbiased straight facts, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com