During the weekly meeting of the ANPAC Tijuana chapter, Councilor Miguel Loza announced plans to form a delegation in the coming days for a trip to Mexico City. The goal is to press the central offices of the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) for immediate action on the urgent cleanup of the Tijuana River channel.
Beyond the immediate demand, Loza said he would also pursue the creation of a permanent working group, bringing together all stakeholders to address the issue on an ongoing basis through a dedicated collaborative roundtable.
“The Mexican government must assume responsibility for this situation, particularly since it falls under the framework of the bilateral water treaty between the two nations,” Loza stated. “We understand that the State of California is already taking action on its side.”
The councilor warned that the risks are already materializing, with contamination levels reaching critical points. Residents in several heavily affected areas including the 3rd Stage of the river, Zona Río, Downtown, Alamar, La Morita, and Florido have been reporting persistent foul odors.
“120,000 and 160,000 people either live in, commute through, or work near the Tijuana River and Rio Alamar corridor, and they are already bearing the health consequences. The crisis has now escalated into a binational concern affecting California as well,” he said.
The last major cleanup operation along the channel took place in 2019, carried out by the state administration and CESPT. However, due to a lack of civic awareness among some residents, the canal has since been repurposed as an illegal dumping ground. The situation is further compounded by the presence of homeless encampments, as well as insufficient oversight and maintenance from CONAGUA.
In addition, Loza announced that he is already coordinating with COEPRIS to conduct comprehensive testing of both water quality and air quality within the channel and obtain precise data on current contamination levels.
