3 more areas of Imperial Beach close due to toxic sewage crisis

Three more areas of the Imperial Beach coastline were closed late last week due to an ongoing sewage crisis so bad it can be seen from space.

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On Thursday, the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality announced it was closing the municipal beach at the southern end of Seacoast Drive and at Carnation Avenue. Then on Saturday, it closed the area near Cortez Avenue. These areas are in addition to Border Field State Park and the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, which have been closed since October.

“Imperial Beach has now endured beach closures for well over four years, with only a handful of days during that time when the beaches have been open,” Imperial Beach City Manager Tyler Foltz told SFGATE in an email. “This prolonged closure has had a significant impact on our community, and the City remains deeply concerned about the ongoing public health, environmental, and economic impacts of continued sewage contamination.”

The ongoing sewage surging through the Tijuana River along the Mexican border at Imperial Beach has led to chronic health conditions among the community. The crisis, which produced a haze of toxic air, has also impacted local businesses by deterring tourists from one of San Diego County’s most affordable beach towns.

The viruses, bacteria and parasites in the sewage are known to cause “gastro-intestinal symptoms, rashes, flu-like symptoms, skin and eye infections and worse,” according to the Surfrider Foundation, an organization dedicated to protecting beaches and oceans worldwide.

The incoming El Niño, which the National Weather Service predicts will be “a very strong event” this fall and winter, is expected to worsen the problem. The weather pattern is expected to cause coastal flooding with the highest sea levels on record in California, and it could bring more rain.

When it rains and the Tijuana River swells, the Mexican government is allowed to dump more sewage into the river when the wastewater treatment plant reaches capacity, Falk Feddersen, a professor of oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, told SFGATE. This is because the excess water will dilute the sewage flowing into the river.

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Foltz said the city of Imperial Beach “is prepared to respond as needed” to El Niño by paying attention to shoreline conditions, keeping drain areas clear and prepping emergency responders. The city also provides residents with sand and sandbags as protection against standing water or storm surges.

“While we cannot predict exactly how El Niño conditions may affect our region, we are prepared for the potential for increased rainfall and runoff and will continue taking appropriate measures to protect our residents and visitors,” Foltz said. 

Previously, the Imperial Beach coastline was closed for over 1,000 days due to water contamination before a portion reopened in September 2024. Closures are lifted only when water sample results meet state standards, sewage release has stopped, and no odors or water discoloration is detectable at the beach, according to the .

An advisory warning beachgoers that the bacteria in the water has exceeded state health standards is also in effect for the beach near Avenida Lunar in Coronado. Kaylee Ricci, the communications and engagement officer for the city of Coronado, said the city initiative Project Coronado is regularly updated.  

“The City of Coronado continues collaboration at the local, state and federal levels to protect our water resources,” according to Project Coronado. “While much has been done to dedicate necessary resources, ongoing attention and advocacy is needed to ensure these projects advance and complete as quickly as possible.”