(Image Credit: IMAGN) A sign along the Arroyo Simi in Moorpark warns of possible sewage contamination on Thursday, May 4, 2023. County officials recently detected a sewer line break that has sent millions of gallons of raw sewage into the channel.
San Diego, California – California lawmakers are formally asking President Donald Trump to declare a national emergency to address a decades-long sewage crisis that has polluted coastal communities near the U.S.-Mexico border and threatened public health, local economies, and ecosystems.
The call for federal action follows the unanimous passage of Assembly Joint Resolution 16 (AJR 16) in the State Assembly’s Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on July 1. Introduced by Assemblymembers David Alvarez and Jeff Gonzalez, the resolution demands urgent federal intervention in response to the unchecked flow of sewage-laden water from Mexico into Southern California via the Tijuana and New rivers.
Since 2018, more than 100 billion gallons of contaminated water have flowed into California, impacting cities like Imperial Beach and Calexico. The situation has led to repeated beach closures, a rise in illness among residents and military personnel, and mounting public frustration. In Imperial Beach alone, portions of the shoreline have remained closed since December 2021, with beach access restricted for over 1,270 consecutive days in some areas.
The resolution comes amid growing evidence of environmental and public health damage. A 2017 study by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography linked 34,000 illnesses annually to water pollution along Imperial Beach, while another report found that up to 76% of airborne bacteria in the area could be traced to sewage from across the border.
Despite years of local efforts, California lawmakers say state and municipal governments cannot solve the crisis on their own. They argue a national emergency declaration would unlock vital federal resources to upgrade aging infrastructure, support ongoing water treatment operations, and compel diplomatic coordination with Mexico.
“Enough is enough,” Assemblymember Alvarez said. “Border communities like Imperial Beach and Calexico should not be treated as sacrifice zones. This is a public health emergency that demands a national response.”
Assemblymember Gonzalez echoed those concerns. “The people of Imperial County have lived with the impacts of New River pollution for far too long. This isn’t just environmental—it’s about protecting families and communities.”
The White House, through spokesperson Taylor Rogers, stated that President Trump is pursuing a “whole-of-government approach” involving the EPA, State Department, and the International Boundary and Water Commission. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin previously posted on social media that Mexico must honor its commitments to control the flow of raw sewage across the border, calling the current situation “unacceptable.”
With bipartisan pressure mounting and a full Assembly vote on AJR 16 expected in the coming weeks, California is pushing Washington to recognize that border pollution is not a regional inconvenience—it’s a national crisis.
