Millions of gallons of bacteria-infested sewage water are surging up the California coast like a tsunami, endangering both beachgoers and America's military personnel. The Tijuana River sewage crisis has plagued Southern California since the 1930s, as the Mexican city suffers from outdated and overloaded wastewater treatment plants, broken pipes, and poor stormwater systems for decades. This has sent as much as 30 million gallons of sewage-filled wastewater into the Pacific Ocean daily, where it drifts north into US waters.
Beach Closures and Health Risks
In recent years, officials in California have warned that pollution has spread farther than ever before, reaching the affluent beach community of Coronado, just two miles from San Diego. Several of the state's most famous beaches now face repeated closures as bacteria in wastewater can cause stomach illnesses, infections, skin rashes, or other sicknesses in anyone who swims or surfs. Between 2020 and 2025, the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality revealed that popular beaches such as Imperial Beach, Silver Strand, and Tijuana Slough had to close regularly due to high bacteria levels.
The California State Lands Commission stated: 'This is a necessary measure to protect public health, but it is unacceptable that the community is unable to access clean and safe beaches and coastal waters.'
Impact on Navy SEALs
Aside from endangering beachgoers and vacationers, the Pentagon recently disclosed that over a thousand illnesses among Navy SEALs have been recorded due to their training in the waters off Coronado. These issues included 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illness, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, according to a February 2025 report. Department of War officials noted that the deteriorating situation has disrupted training for Navy special operations units, forcing them to cancel water exercises whenever the feces-tainted water reaches dangerous levels.
Extent of Closures
At Tijuana Slough, the closest Southern California beach to the Mexican border, officials reported the beach was closed 333 times over the last five years. Imperial Beach, which attracts around 400,000 visitors annually, had to close 231 times during that same period. Silver Strand, a major surfing destination, was closed 152 times between 2020 and 2025. As the toxic sludge moves farther north, beaches around Coronado have also been affected, with San Diego County recording 73 beach closures in the area over the last five years due to unsafe bacteria levels.
Residents and Local Economy
Former resident Whitney David, who left because of the growing sewage problems, told the Wall Street Journal: 'It was heaven on earth and now I call it paradise lost. All kinds of trash you would see floating in the ocean - food wrappers, bottles, clothing. Once in a while, you would even see a piece of c***.' Coronado Mayor John Duncan said that the wealthy community has seen business affected by the perception that the city is now dirty.
Historical Context and Government Response
From October 2023 to May 2024, the San Diego Coastkeeper estimated that 31 billion gallons of raw sewage, polluted water, and trash traveled along the Tijuana River into the Tijuana River Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Sewage infrastructure in Tijuana was not designed to handle the city's rapid population growth, often spilling into nearby bodies of water during the rainy season. According to the Sierra Club, the earliest reports of sewage reaching the US from the Tijuana River date back to 1933, when Tijuana had only about 14,000 residents. Today, the city is home to more than 2.2 million people.
President Trump has called on Mexico to address its untreated wastewater issues before it reaches the US. The two countries have also agreed to expedite projects aimed at cleaning up the sewage problem, including building additional treatment plants in Mexico and expanding the US-owned South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. This facility will continue to serve as a 'backstop,' capturing and treating as much extra sewage spilling over from Tijuana as possible.
Air Quality Concerns
Sewage can also impact air quality, with local counties detecting elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide in the air from wastewater and sewage flows from the Tijuana River Valley earlier this year. Hydrogen sulfide can worsen existing breathing conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and can produce a rotten egg smell. Residents have reported headaches and nausea from the odor during particularly bad days.
