Date:
September 15, 2026 16
To: Board of Supervisors
Title
Receive Presentation on the Draft Economic Impact Study and Recommendations on the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis (Districts: All)
End
Overview
On September 9, 2025 (17), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) directed the Chief Administrative Officer to fund and implement an Economic Impact Study assessing the full scope of losses caused by the Tijuana River sewage crisis, including impacts to small businesses, property values, and regional tourism, to strengthen future funding and mitigation efforts. Following the issuance of a request for quotes and a comprehensive evaluation of all submitted proposals, ECOnorthwest was selected to conduct the Economic Costs and Impacts of the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis study. Their project plan demonstrated a clear, methodical approach tailored to the complexities of this issue, and their team brought extensive experience and strong qualifications directly relevant to the work.
While the full report will not be completed until October, ECOnorthwest’s draft preliminary findings describes multiple pathways through which increased pollution has affected the regional economy, including prolonged beach water closures, reduced tourism and recreation, impacts to local businesses, property values, tax revenues, public health costs, population and workforce patterns, and public-school funding. It is estimated that the sewage crisis reduces San Diego County’s regional economic output by between $125.6 million and $503.5 million annually, with a discounted cumulative 20-year impact projected between $1.9 billion and $7.9 billion. The draft findings also include recommendations intended to improve communication and public awareness, support affected businesses and communities, strengthen regional and binational coordination, and advocate for major infrastructure and long-term system reliability. The portions released to date are unlikely to change; how...
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