The sewage runoff affecting the Tijuana River is the result of repair work being carried out by the United States, not Mexico, according to Víctor Manuel Amador, head of Baja California’s Secretariat for Water Management, Sanitation, and Protection (Seproa).
Speaking during the state government’s morning conference, Amador explained that the runoff stems from repairs to the JB-1 gate, which began in November. The gate is located on the U.S. side of the border.
Over the weekend, U.S. authorities issued an alert regarding high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the Tijuana River Valley. That gas, which is associated with the decomposition of wastewater, has been linked to structural issues involving discharges into the river basin.
Amador emphasized that Mexico has been closely following all measures assigned under Act 328, the largest water sanitation agreement for the Tijuana region.
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Mexico’s Completed Actions
To date, Mexico has completed repairs on the San Antonio, El Laurel, Oriente, and Internacional collectors, according to Amador.
In addition, the National Water Commission (Conagua) has made progress on other collectors, including Carranza and Insurgentes, which are expected to be finished by mid-2026.
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The most complex work has involved the Internacional collector, where special pumps were installed to prevent runoff from reaching the Tijuana River.
“Whenever Mexico carries out any work, we try to minimize runoff into the Tijuana River as much as possible. But we are fulfilling all of our commitments,” Amador said.
