Newsom Allocates $46 Million for Tijuana River Pollution Cleanup

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that $46 million from a voter-approved bond measure will be allocated to combat the chronic pollution of the Tijuana River. This funding, stemming from Proposition 4, a $10 billion measure passed in 2024 for water and environmental projects, aims to address the significant contamination affecting communities along the California-Mexico border.

Since 2018, an estimated 100 billion gallons of raw sewage, laden with industrial chemicals and trash, have flowed into the Tijuana River, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission. This long-standing environmental crisis, which impacts low-income Latino communities, has exposed tens of thousands of people to hazardous conditions. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin previously stated that resolving this issue, considered one of the nation's worst environmental crises, would take several years.

The allocated funds will be distributed through competitive grants to support projects focused on reducing bacteria and trash, addressing public health concerns, and facilitating mitigation and restoration efforts. The sewage discharge also releases hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas linked to respiratory issues and other health problems, as noted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Environmental advocates, such as Phillip Musegaas, executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper, welcomed the funding but emphasized its inadequacy. He stressed the need for greater federal investment in upgrading and expanding wastewater infrastructure to manage Tijuana's growing population and industrial waste, much of which originates from U.S. companies.

Governor Newsom reiterated his call for the Trump administration to fulfill its commitments and provide a permanent solution, stating that California cannot resolve a decades-long federal failure alone and that the administration has a moral obligation to act.