Representatives from all three levels of government convened this week to discuss strategies for water management and conservation in the Tijuana–San Diego region in a meeting officially titled the Interinstitutional Coordination Meeting CILA–SEPROA–Tijuana City Hall, led by Municipal President Abdiel Gutiérrez.
The mayor emphasized the value of treating and reusing wastewater for irrigating public parks and green spaces as a strategy that bolsters the city’s efforts to use its water resources more efficiently.
He also pointed out that Tijuana currently operates 32 sand traps, critical infrastructure designed to prevent sediment and debris from flowing into storm drains and waterways.
The meeting then turned to infrastructure and maintenance, with Carlos Gastélum Félix, Director of Municipal Public Works and Urban Infrastructure, presenting an update on recent progress in the Tijuana River basin and sub-basin. His report highlighted ongoing clean-up efforts at the sand traps, the construction of new hydraulic works, and targeted actions to curb pollution from urban waste and illegal wastewater discharges.
In addition, Mexican Commissioner Adriana Beatriz Carolina Reséndez Maldonado spoke about binational framework, focusing on two key agreements: Minutes 320 and 333. The former establishes a general protocol for cross-border cooperation on Tijuana River basin issues, while the latter outlines comprehensive measures to address the sanitation crisis affecting Tijuana, Baja California, and San Diego, California.
Discussions also covered stormwater management, river clean-up operations, and upcoming infrastructure projects aimed at reducing the flow of contaminants across the border.
The meeting was attended by Rosario Adilene Rivera Ramírez, Secretary of Environmental Protection; Federico Gómez López, Director of Municipal Public Services; Manuel Alejandro Morales Galván, Mexican Secretary; Francisco Javier López Chávez, Deputy Director General of Hydraulics and Water Technology at the Baja California State Water Commission; as well as CILA representatives María Elena Cárdenas Vázquez and Juan Javier Colín Celaya.
Through sustained dialogue and interagency coordination, the 25th Tijuana City Hall reaffirms its dedication to an integrated water management approach that safeguards public health, protects the environment, and advances the region’s long-term sustainability.
