American Rivers Action Fund Applauds EPA Administrator Zeldin’s Attention to Tijuana River Crisis Ahead of Planned Visit to San Diego

April 17, 2025

Contact: Hawk Hammer, Senior Strategist for American Rivers Action Fund, Hhammer@americanrivers.org

Washington, DC – American Rivers Action Fund is encouraged by the recognition EPA Administrator Zeldin is giving to the serious water quality issues the Tijuana River is facing and the chronic health issues communities around it are experiencing ahead of his planned visit next week.

The Tijuana River — which American River’s named as the second most endangered on America’s Most Endangered Rivers list of 2025 — has faced decades of neglect and under-investment needed to fix broken wastewater treatment facilities and prevent sewage and industrial pollution from being released into the river.

“Transformative action and dedicated investment is desperately needed to reverse the fate of the Tijuana River and help communities impacted by the water quality crisis. The river has long needed a homerun and a team—with champs on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the border—willing to swing big to protect clean water,” said Tom Kiernan, president of American Rivers Action Fund.

The river has experienced severe ecosystem degradation, and the pollution and aerosolized contaminants have prompted regular beach closures, widespread illness in the communities in and around the Tijuana River Valley and impacts to tourism and national security.

“Sewage and industrial pollution has pushed this river and its communities to the brink,” said Dr. Ann Willis, senior advisor for American Rivers Action Fund. “This is a moment for leaders to come together and find solutions for the river and all the life it supports.”

In addition to encouraging a federal emergency be declared, American Rivers Action Fund is also recommending that the U.S. EPA implement Alternative I-2 of their Comprehensive Infrastructure Solution which includes:

On the U.S. side:

  • Expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (ITP) to double its capacity;

  • Build a new advanced primary wastewater treatment plant to receive and treat water from Tijuana River;

  • Direct canyon flows to the expanded ITP; and

  • Install a river trash boom to collect and allow for targeted cleanup;

On the Mexico side:

  • Repair portions of the collection system in Mexico to prevent sewage leaks;

  • Reuse treated wastewater for beneficial uses instead of discharging it into the Tijuana River; and

  • Construct a new San Antonio de los Buenos Treatment Plant in Tijuana (which has already been completed, and was funded by Mexico).

The Alternative I-2 infrastructure plan is a good start. American Rivers also supports ideas put forward by a bipartisan group of Members of Congress that would enhance funding flexibility for cross-border water infrastructure. Specifically, the bipartisan bill introduced by Representative Scott Peters in March 2025, which authorizes the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to accept up to $5 million from federal and non-federal entities, such as the Department of Defense, the State of California, and the City of San Diego, for wastewater treatment, flood control, and water conservation projects.

This legislation aims to reduce the IBWC’s reliance on annual congressional appropriations, thereby accelerating critical projects like the expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. By facilitating additional funding pathways, the bill seeks to strengthen coordination among local, federal, and binational agencies, ultimately contributing to the long-term health and well-being of communities affected by the Tijuana River pollution crisis.