San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remar on Monday detailed her plans to have the county Health and Human Services Department study the health impacts of the Tijuana River sewage crisis on South Bay residents.
Lawson-Remar said he and leaders in Imperial Beach and Coronado want to expand data collection beyond just those who come into direct contact with polluted waters: Research from Scripps Institution of Oceanography has shown that bacteria from untreated sewage that flows from watersheds into the ocean can become aerosolized and have effects far inland.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the policy at its regular meeting on Tuesday.
California and local leaders are hopeful the new policy will bring about change.
“Our county has worked with local cities to clean up the Tijuana River sewage crisis, and this policy will allow our county health experts to share more health data and expand how we respond to health threats,” said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Lawson Remar. “We have called on the state and federal governments to take action to protect public health and clean up our local beaches, and as a result, some funding has been committed for improvements. If the Board approves this policy on Tuesday, it will strengthen our efforts to protect our beaches, bays and shorelines.”
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre explained how aerosolized bacteria and contaminated water flooding are causing illness and posing long-term health risks.
“We are seeing increased reports of respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal problems, asthma, nausea and headaches,” she said. “Given the widespread pollution flowing through the Tijuana River Valley, it is important that we fully understand the emerging public health impacts this pollution is having on South Bay communities.”
“This policy will help us better understand the new public health threat posed by this emergency and will accelerate broader and more substantive support from the Governors and the President to take action commensurate with the severity of this crisis.”
What does this policy do?
According to the superintendent, the proposed policy would direct county staff to begin meeting with a dedicated task force within 45 days to develop a coordinated strategy for mobilization that would include:
–Initiate a local health study to examine health effects beyond direct water exposure.
–Development of the Tijuana River Public Health Risk Dashboard.
–Developing regional decontamination protocols for sewage-contaminated floodwaters.
–Require zip code level data from the California Breathe Program.
–Strengthening interagency communication with the San Diego Regional Water Control Board, the Air Pollution Control Agency, the California Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
–Pursue additional funding to assess the impact of the wastewater crisis.
Board Chair Nora Vargas agreed to sign the policy.
