EPA highlights progress on Tijuana River sewage crisis during San Diego visit

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin visited San Diego, California, last week to meet with residents, business owners and local officials and highlight federal efforts to advance what the agency calls a permanent solution to the long-running Tijuana River sewage crisis.

For decades, untreated sewage flows from Mexico have crossed into Southern California, contributing to repeated beach closures, environmental degradation and public health concerns. During the visit, Zeldin pointed to recent binational agreements and accelerated infrastructure projects aimed at stopping the cross-border discharges.

“The Trump Administration promised to treat this crisis with the urgency it deserves, and that’s what we are doing,” Zeldin said in an EPA press release. “We’ve made incredible progress in accelerating infrastructure buildouts and getting Mexico to step up to the plate, but we know the work isn’t done.”

EPA officials highlighted a Memorandum of Understanding signed with Mexico in July 2025 that commits both countries to faster project timelines, full use of previously allocated funding under Minute 328, and additional wastewater infrastructure to address future population growth in Tijuana. The agency also cited the expedited expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, completed in August 2025, which increased treatment capacity by 10 million gallons per day.

More recently, the two countries signed Minute 333, an agreement focused on long-term operations, maintenance and planning to prevent future sewage discharges. Planned actions include new Mexico-side treatment facilities, repairs to key conveyance infrastructure and development of a regional water infrastructure master plan.