DATE:
September 9, 2025
18
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ADOPT A RESOLUTION ENTITLED "A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO RELATING TO ADVOCACY FOR STATE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS TO ADDRESS THE TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY SEWAGE CRISIS" AND A-72 WAIVER (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The Tijuana River sewage crisis has had profound environmental, economic, and public health impacts across multiple communities in South San Diego County, with over 100 billion gallons of sewage crossing the international border into our region through the Tijuana River since 2018.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) declared the water pollution crisis a state of emergency in June 2023. Harmful levels of bacteria in beach water originating from the Tijuana River have caused the closure of some South County beaches for over 1,300 consecutive days. The County of San Diego (County) has since made advocacy on the Tijuana River Valley a priority to increase investment and attention towards solving this crisis.
Proposition 4, a statewide bond measure authorizing the State to borrow $10 billion for clean water efforts, fire prevention, stormwater management, and climate resilience, was passed by the voters during the November 2024 General Election. Proposition 4 directs $50 million to be available to the State Water Resources Control Board for projects in the Tijuana River Valley and New River watersheds that will "address water quality problems arising in the California-Mexico cross-border rivers and coastal waters." Today's action would adopt a resolution requesting that the State Water Resources Control Board allocate the full $50 million of Proposition 4 cross-border rivers funding to projects aimed at addressing the ongoing environmental and public health crises in the Tijuana River Valley.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
SUPERVISOR PALOMA AGUIRRE
1. Waive Board Policy A-72 Agenda and Related Process, Section 2.C.2.ii, which establishes required timelines for...
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