EPA was just notified that, to repair an unexpected leak in Tijuana’s Parallel Gravity Line, Mexico was forced to shut down pump stations along the border last night. As a result, millions of gallons of wastewater are flowing into the Tijuana River. Mexico estimates their repairs will take 24-36 hours. As of the last report we received, the recently expanded South Bay treatment plant was treating approximately 75% of this wastewater flowing today into the river. The U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) is taking proactive measures to mitigate sediment and trash flows to ensure critical infrastructure in the area isn’t damaged. The USIBWC is also in communication with Mexico about the repairs and demanding this work be instantly completed. Mexico began rehabilitating the Parallel Gravity Line last November and they expect to complete construction in July 2026 as part of the 100% solution Mexico and the United States agreed to and signed last year. The good news is that Mexico has otherwise been rapidly constructing several agreed upon Mexico side infrastructure projects that were part of recent international agreements with the United States. These projects, scheduled to be completed in 2026, 2027, and one in 2028, are imperative to permanently end this decades-long crisis.
