PBCILA pump station resumes operations to reduce Tijuana River cross-border flows

Mexico’s section of the International Boundary and Water Commission has resumed operations at the PBCILA pumping plant, restoring a key component of efforts to reduce transboundary wastewater flows into the Tijuana River.

The pumping station had been offline since Nov. 15, 2025, following heavy rainfall that prompted a shutdown to protect equipment. Sediment removal and maintenance work has been underway since March to prepare the system for restart.

With operations restored, the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) can again receive up to 35 million gallons per day of wastewater from Tijuana’s sanitation system. The increased conveyance capacity is expected to help reduce untreated cross-border discharges that have impacted water quality in the Tijuana River and downstream U.S. communities.

The restart marks a key step in ongoing binational efforts to manage wastewater flows and improve environmental conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border.