EPA and Mexico Sign Agreement to Tackle Tijuana River Sewage Issues
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Trump administration has formalized an updated agreement with Mexico to confront the sewage crisis at the Tijuana River.
The EPA has been collaborating with Mexico on this matter, having previously signed a significant memorandum of understanding (MOU) in July. This new contract assigns responsibility to Mexico for maintaining existing facilities and construction projects aimed at preventing untreated sewage from flowing into U.S. waterways. Additionally, Mexico is required to develop a water infrastructure “master plan” within the next six months. The contaminated waste entering Southern California from Mexico has been an ongoing issue for decades, resulting in various health and environmental hazards, including unpleasant odors, beach closures, and potential disease outbreaks.
As part of the agreement, referred to as Minute 333, both the U.S. and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) committed to implementing new actions. These include infrastructure projects, research, improved monitoring, and plans for maintaining essential systems that also consider future population growth in Tijuana.
“While we’ve made substantial progress this year toward resolving the Tijuana River wastewater crisis, it wouldn’t matter if we fail to plan for the inevitable population increase in Tijuana and its surrounding areas,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. He emphasized that Minute 333 lays the groundwork for decisive actions and expressed eagerness to initiate the agreed-upon measures. During his visit in April, he noted the frustration from San Diego residents regarding the ongoing issues and committed to providing a lasting solution.
The July MOU established the foundation for the new agreements signed on Monday. Zeldin advocated for a “100% solution” to the environmental and public health crises, assuring that no new taxes from the U.S. would be allocated for projects outlined in Minute 333.
According to an EPA statement, the negotiation of Minute 333 was remarkably swift, taking less than five months to finalize—contrasting with past agreements that could take years. It was created in response to the July MOU that Zeldin signed with Mexico’s Secretary of Environment and National Resources, Alicia Bárcena Ibarra.
Previous agreements had not adequately considered Tijuana’s future population growth, thus failing to meet the 100% solution needed by San Diego residents, an issue that Minute 333 aims to rectify.
President Trump emphasized the urgency of this matter, stating that Mexico needs to promptly address its water and wastewater challenges. Political leaders in California, spanning across party lines, welcomed Monday’s agreement. Statements from California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa and Democratic Reps. Scott Peters and Mike Levin were highlighted by the EPA.
Former Navy SEAL and Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana described the agreement as a significant advancement in addressing serious health concerns related to these environmental issues. He thanked President Trump and Secretary Zeldin for their focused efforts on swiftly resolving this harmful trend that threatens national readiness and security.
