+34
Water and air contamination imperil the health of a wide range of people who live, recreate and work near the polluted waterway
A new report from researchers at San Diego State University, citing 'untreated sewage, industrial waste, and urban run-off due to inadequate infrastructure and urbanization,' calls the Tijuana River Valley 'a public health crisis' that imperils the health of a wide range of people who live, recreate and work near the polluted waterway and who find themselves especially vulnerable when wet weather causes floods to spread.
In a white paper that is not itself peer-reviewed research, the authors synthesize the multiple studies that have documented pollution over the years, leading with a recent paper that documented that the threat also extends to ocean-going mammals. Bottle nose dolphins stranded in San Diego, the white paper notes, died from infection by erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a bacteria 'generally transmitted through contact with feces or urine in contaminated water, food or soil.' Use of the words 'public health crisis' conjure images of health effects on a broad scale. However, the county public health department and its leader, Dr. Wilma Wooten, have said that while they are studying reports of increased gastrointestinal illness from a South Bay medical provider, recent rains have not so far produced a broad surge of illness detectable in emergency departments. SDSU environmental health professor Paula Stigler Granados and others who spoke during a news conference on the report Tuesday morning said that calling the situation in and around the Tijuana River a public health crisis refers to the cumulative risk of health problems caused by the presence of pollutants rather than the observation of increases in observed illness. 'For this report, we did not look at the health data; that is not what we were asked to do,' Stigler Granados said. 'We are aggregating the current research that's out there on what our area of expertise is, which is in environmental health risk exposures. 'Criteria for calling this a public health crisis really sets upon this idea that there is an exposure risk, because of the vast amount of contamination that is occurring; it is elevating the risk, and that the potential for those exposures is highly elevated because just the sheer amounts of contamination.' Rep. Scott Peters called the distinction academic. Noting that there have been many anecdotal reports of vomiting and diarrhea from those who live and work closest to the river, the congressman said now is not the time to mince words. 'We don't have the luxury to wait around ... we have to treat it like it is a crisis,' Peters said. 'It's hard to find anyplace else in the country where this kind of thing is happening, so for my purposes, it is a crisis.' Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre echoed that sentiment, recounting the calls she has received from citizens who have experienced symptoms after heavy rains, especially following tropical storm Hillary in 2023. 'We had residents approach us and tell us, 'I was hospitalized for four days,' right? Aguirre said. 'I think that this represents, maybe, an opportunity to close that gap with the methodology that is being used to declare it or not declare it a public health crisis.' Funded by San Diego's Prebys Foundation, the paper is clearly constructed to make a case not just in San Diego County or Southern California but even more so in Washington where the region's delegation of leaders are pressing for an additional appropriation of $310 million on top of the $350 million already allocated to repair and expand the federal wastewater treatment plant that has been overtaxed treating Tijuana River flows. 'We really need to get Congress to approve this money, so it's important to gather evidence that really drives home the severity of this problem,' Peters said. 'We know people are getting sick. 'We know Navy Seals have had to cancel training sessions due to contaminated water; we've seen news reports showing rivers of raw sewage flowing into the Pacific Ocean.' The white paper pulls together the many sources of information on the festering situation at the border, noting the detection of drug-resistant pathogens in river water a graduate student study analysis last year of river water at the border detected the presence of 392 organic chemical contaminants, 175 which 'appeared in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies Toxic Substance Control Act.' Contaminated air from the region, researchers found, could potentially 'increase the health risks of local community members without any direct water contact,' a statement that references the potential aerosolization of polluted water in sea spray, a possibility documented by UC San Diego biochemist Kim Prather in 2023. Researchers call for better monitoring of environmental contaminants and a deeper investigation of 'nearby community exposures and health effects,' including investments 'by Congress and federal and state agencies ' to 'slow and prevent. the ongoing and egregious contamination' and also to assess local environmental harm.
Scratch the next story
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler: The Internet's Favorite Water BottleThe Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler is a highly sought-after water bottle that has repeatedly sold out within hours of restocks. It has a loyal following and is now only available at Starbucks locations inside Target stores.
Read more »
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Review — See PhotosIs the TikTok viral Milk Makeup blush and lip tint worth the spend? Senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor describes her experience using it with the help of a makeup artist and cosmetic chemist.
Read more »
Chandler teen jumps into cold lake attempting to rescue driver who veered into the waterA high school boy jumped into a cold lake in Chandler to try and rescue a man who drove his SUV into the water on Wednesday.
Read more »
Openings and Closings: Cyclone Anaya's River Oaks Opens, Nando's Cinco RanchCyclone Anaya's, 3736 Westheimer, opened February 6 in River Oaks, taking over the former home of Frank's Americana Revival, which is relocating to 3015 Wesleyan. It's the 7th location for the Tex-Mex brand, a longtime Houston favorite named for Mexican wrestler Jesus Becerra Valencia, better known by his stage name,...
Read more »
Houston area water leak impacts grandmother getting special needs grandchild to schoolA family's patience is frustrated as a stubborn, 3-month water leak is making it difficult for them to get their special needs granddaughter to and from school.
Read more »
Man's body found sticking out of burning van in Tijuana River ValleyFirefighters putting out a blaze that engulfed a van Monday in a parking lot at Tijuana River Valley Sports Complex found a body partially inside the charred…
Read more »