BajaNomad

Tijuana sewage, wastewater spills continue with no end in sight

SFandH - 9-16-2017 at 10:17 AM

And it may get worse:

"A spending package passed in by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday would eliminate the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Grant Program, which has helped facilitate infrastructure upgrades to prevent sewage spills in Tijuana.

Ending the grant program is part of a roughly 7 percent cut to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would drastically limit resources to protect clean air and water, said Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego."

Your government at work. :mad:

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/sd-me-t...


Barry A. - 9-16-2017 at 10:42 AM

So, helping (subsidizing) one of the richer countries in the world (that would be Mexico---Wiki describes them as "a upper middle-class income Country) to control THEIR sewage when the USA is roughly 20 trillion in debt , makes good sense??????

Bob and Susan - 9-16-2017 at 10:46 AM

the saying goes...something like this...

you can feed a man a fish dinner andhe will starve...
you can teach a man how to fish and he'll eat along time///

well... at least until the Japanese radiate all the fish

SFandH - 9-16-2017 at 11:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  
So, helping (subsidizing) one of the richer countries in the world (that would be Mexico---Wiki describes them as "a upper middle-class income Country) to control THEIR sewage when the USA is roughly 20 trillion in debt , makes good sense??????



It does to the 100s of thousands of Americans and the American tourist business owners along the coast that are negatively affected by it.

This is an important issue for Americans living in Imperial Beach north to Coronado Beach.

Obviously, not to you.

[Edited on 9-16-2017 by SFandH]

woody with a view - 9-16-2017 at 11:17 AM

And to think WiLDCOAST is holding their annual surf contest at the IB pier today!

We should build whatever it takse to stop the flow of Mexican sewage and then take that amount back from the annual aid package we send. They have no need to cleanup their chit as it heads north with the prevailing currnets.

SFandH - 9-16-2017 at 11:22 AM

I assume Serge Dedina, the IB mayor and founder of Wildcoast, wouldn't be holding the contest if it was polluted. Pollution is easy to measure and it's not always polluted.

AKgringo - 9-16-2017 at 01:54 PM

Maybe the new border wall will incorporate a sewage treatment system! A raw sewage moat would be an additional deterrent!

(humor intended, don't get all serious on me) :biggrin:

Barry A. - 9-16-2017 at 03:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  
So, helping (subsidizing) one of the richer countries in the world (that would be Mexico---Wiki describes them as "a upper middle-class income Country) to control THEIR sewage when the USA is roughly 20 trillion in debt , makes good sense??????



It does to the 100s of thousands of Americans and the American tourist business owners along the coast that are negatively affected by it.

This is an important issue for Americans living in Imperial Beach north to Coronado Beach.

Obviously, not to you.

[Edited on 9-16-2017 by SFandH]


It's very important to me, so not "obvious". I lived and surfed in Coronado and Imperial Beach for 30 years, and some of my Family still live there in Coronado. It was a problem back then, and now is much worse-----I get that! My point is as long as the USA assumes the problem, contributes money to supposedly correct it, and fails to very strongly pressure Mexico to correct it, the problem WILL CONTINUE. THAT is the history!!! Mexico can afford to correct it, but why bother when the Big-Brother to the north will do it for them, or try, anyway. It is just crazy (to me).

SFandH - 9-16-2017 at 04:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  

My point is as long as the USA assumes the problem, contributes money to supposedly correct it, and fails to very strongly pressure Mexico to correct it, the problem WILL CONTINUE.


Your government at work.

I don't see how decreasing the current funding targeted at border water quality enhances the probability of reaching the objective. In fact, I think it makes success less likely and will make things worse for the people in southern San Diego County.


[Edited on 9-16-2017 by SFandH]

Barry A. - 9-16-2017 at 04:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.  

My point is as long as the USA assumes the problem, contributes money to supposedly correct it, and fails to very strongly pressure Mexico to correct it, the problem WILL CONTINUE.


Your government at work.

I don't see how decreasing the current funding enhances the probability of reaching the objective. In fact, I think it makes success less likely and will make things worse for the people in southern San Diego County.




[Edited on 9-16-2017 by SFandH]


It might not, SF&H, but throwing good money after bad is "obviously" not the answer as so far it has not worked well at all, and it has only gotten worse. I have been gone from Coronado for 50 years, and the problem existed even back then. We can't force Mexico to address and correct their problem, but we sure can apply sanctions and consequences for their not doing it, and we should, and NOW which should spur them into action. Kicking the can down the road (which Mexico has mostly done) is not acceptable, here or in Mexicali, or in other places along the border, and we have the solution but are just too "nice" (reads weak-acting) to implement them. We don't have the money to solve other countries problems (obviously), especially when those other Countries do have the means to accomplish them, and it IS their responsibility!!! Aren't these types of problems why we have the UNTIED NATIONS to work them out and obtain results equitable to all? At my age frustration is my biggest stresser!!!

We need a problem-solver, and I think we now have one now in the Oval Office. Lets see how THAT works?!?!?!?! as other approaches have not.

OCEANUS - 9-16-2017 at 05:20 PM

The problem with not addressing the issue (i.e just let Mexico deal with it) lies within the local currents that will carry TJs sewage northward along the coast and onto the beaches of IB and Coronado.
The current dual-nation wastewater treatment facility was constructed as a result of our Federal Gov. initially trying to ignore what it considered a local issue. The local leaders had sought the help from CA and Federal officials to address an epidemic of beach closures because of the untreated sewage. After receiving empty talk and cold shoulders, they took matters into their own hands and bulldozed the mouth of the TJ estuary shut. This earthen plug obstructed all of TJ's effluent and backed it upriver and across the border; effectively making it a Federal issue that brought both US & Mex officials to the table to resolve the issue. Ergo, the current wastewater treatment plant.
Our current administrations attempt to "solve" problems by eliminating funds appears fraught with ignorance and/or a lack of the history surrounding the issue. This seems to be a clear case of where history will again repeat itself. Fire up the dozers...

Barry A. - 9-16-2017 at 05:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by OCEANUS  
The problem with not addressing the issue (i.e just let Mexico deal with it) lies within the local currents that will carry TJs sewage northward along the coast and onto the beaches of IB and Coronado.
The current dual-nation wastewater treatment facility was constructed as a result of our Federal Gov. initially trying to ignore what it considered a local issue. The local leaders had sought the help from CA and Federal officials to address an epidemic of beach closures because of the untreated sewage. After receiving empty talk and cold shoulders, they took matters into their own hands and bulldozed the mouth of the TJ estuary shut. This earthen plug obstructed all of TJ's effluent and backed it upriver and across the border; effectively making it a Federal issue that brought both US & Mex officials to the table to resolve the issue. Ergo, the current wastewater treatment plant.
Our current administrations attempt to "solve" problems by eliminating funds appears fraught with ignorance and/or a lack of the history surrounding the issue. This seems to be a clear case of where history will again repeat itself. Fire up the dozers...


I don't believe it is "ignorance" or "lack of history", and in fact I know it isn't. There are always numerous reasons why things don't get done, and complexity is one of them. One needs to focus on just solving the problem, and then DO IT!!!

SFandH - 9-16-2017 at 05:44 PM

Serge Dedina, the mayor of IB, the leader of Wildcoast, and a long time IB surfer has taken the matter to court. Let's hope that some judicial pressure on the Congress and Executive Branch leads to improvements. Especially considering the current EPA priorities, which are to do less.

Unfortunately, I don't have a favorable opinion of the cognizant US congressman either, Juan Vargas, my congressman, whom I've written to a couple of times. Once I received a form letter reply that did not address my questions and the other time no response at all.

The people that live in the area need to make some noise to help out Serge, who, according to local news reports is extremely frustrated.

Maybe it's time for another letter to Vargas and to the two CA Senators.

Paco Facullo - 9-16-2017 at 07:10 PM

I LOVE the smell of Caca in the morning !!