How Jim Desmond Brought the Tijuana Sewage Crisis to Washington’s Doorstep

“Our current Congressman has done nothing to hold Mexico accountable… I knew that wasn’t enough,” said San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond.

When anyone thinks of Southern California, they will invariably imagine the region’s beautiful coastline and pristine waters; its sand, sun, and serenity. Beneath visions of idyllic paradise lies a harsh reality that California’s waters have been the victim of more than 50 years of pollution from Mexico—untreated sewage from the Tijuana River Valley runs off into the ocean where it contaminates San Diego’s shore with toxic chemicals such as arsenic, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria like E. coli.

And, strangely, hardly anyone is talking about it. 

That can’t be said for Jim Desmond, a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and candidate for California’s 49th Congressional District. Four months ago, Desmond published an op-ed about the “new” border crisis, which concerns not immigration, but an environmental catastrophe that has been neglected for generations.

"For too long, Mexico has been allowed to get away with releasing hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the United States—poisoning our beaches, sickening our residents, and even forcing Navy SEALs to relocate training operations," Desmond said. "That should end now."

Determined to put his money where his mouth is, Desmond flew to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to request assistance from the federal government. He later brought EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to San Diego “to see the damage firsthand and [push] for a permanent solution.”

It would appear his efforts have been fruitful: earlier this week, the EPA signed a historic agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that could finally bring an end to the longstanding environmental crisis.

First and foremost, Mexico has agreed to commit $93 million in funding, money that had been withheld until now, to help clean up the sewage problem. This funding will accelerate major infrastructure projects by reducing their timelines for completion to December 31, 2027—four years ahead of schedule. The agreement also includes plans to launch construction this year on two new projects designed to divert 10 million gallons per day of wastewater from flowing into California’s waters. Furthermore, the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant will expand its capacity to handle 35 million gallons per day by August 2025. 

“There are times when announcements get made and there’s no substance,” said Zeldin. “But here we are today with great pride to be able to stand before the people of Mexico and the United States who care so much about this issue to be able to finally tell you about all the details of us finally delivering this urgent, long-overdue, permanent, 100 percent solution to tackle this sewage crisis once and for all.”  

Desmond says the agreement is “real progress—the kind that only comes when leaders fight for solutions instead of photo ops.” This is an obvious dig at his opponent, incumbent Congressman Mike Levin, who held an outdoor press conference prior to Zeldin’s visit to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

“We can’t allow Administrator Zeldin or anyone in the Trump Administration to talk about solving this crisis while proposing cuts to the very agencies responsible for the solution. DOGE and House Republicans have already targeted funding for the IBWC, which operates the plant. You can’t say you support a solution and then gut the resources required to get it done,” said Rep. Levin.

Though Rep. Levin also met with Zeldin during his trip, Desmond argues he’s done too little to actually solve the longstanding problem across his four terms in Congress. 

“Our current Congressman has done nothing to hold Mexico accountable. His answer has been to throw more of your tax dollars at a problem that never gets solved. I knew that wasn’t enough,” said Desmond in an email to campaign supporters.

Rep. Levin, a Democrat who was elected to Congress in 2018, has served on several House committees and subcommittees tasked with examining environmental issues. That also extends to the House Climate Solutions Caucus and the Environmental Justice Task Force. In response to critics who ask why the Congressman hasn’t been more vocal about the issue until recently, Levin points out past efforts—some successful (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act); others not (Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act of 2020)—and argues the crisis has continued due to a lack of “clear leadership.”

Desmond’s not impressed, and it’s unlikely the two will ever see eye-to-eye despite agreeing that a solution is needed imminently. The biggest victory remains the sheer fact that this longstanding crisis has been brought into the EPA’s focus, and for the first time in ages, there’s a clear path toward resolving it. San Diegans, at least for now, can take solace in the fact that a solution—however long it may take—is finally on the horizon.

“I’m proud to have played a role in bringing this crisis to the national stage and forcing action after decades of neglect,” said Desmond.