Tijuana A sewage collecting pipe has been repaired after its rupture contaminated the citys beaches for more than one month, forcing their closure.
Environmentalists north of the border worried that the untreated sewage also would foul San Diegos beaches, but its unclear if that occurred and to what extent.
The Baja California Commission of Public Services in Tijuana issued a statement Thursday saying that the final stretch of new pipe had been connected, stanching the flow of untreated sewage into the ocean.
According the agency, the powerful storms that lashed the region in December damaged the pipe. However, repairs were not begun until Jan. 18, after environmentalists raised concern about the sewage flow.
The agencys director, Hernando Durán, explained that repairs took nine days because of the depth of the pipe and narrowness of the street. The agency had to use specialized heavy machinery, he added.
The polyethylene pipe that was installed is nearly 210 feet long and 30 inches wide and was placed 19 feet below ground.
State health officials began testing Tijuanas beaches to determine when they can be reopened.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
