Fox5SanDiego.com
Six beaches in Tijuana and Rosarito were labeled by Mexico’s federal commission against sanitary risks as the most polluted beaches in Mexico with fecal matter. According to the agency, the level of contamination far exceeds the level set by the World Health Organization and “immediate actions need to take place at these six beaches to prevent health risks for tourists and Mexican nationals”.
The source of the contamination is believed to be untreated sewage from a plant in Punta Bandera approximately 5 miles south of the border. Additionally, the Tijuana River has millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing from Mexico into the U.S. and out to the ocean.
Plans are underway to refurbish the Punta Bandera facility according to the state of Baja California. Concurrently, additional projects financed by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement on both sides of the border are expected to begin in 2024 and aim to treat and reduce the flow of raw sewage into the Pacific Ocean.