The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District is distributing 10,000 air purifiers to South County households affected by noxious odors from untreated wastewater in the Tijuana River.
Dubbed the Air Improvement Relief Effort (AIRE) Program, eligible households in Imperial Beach and the surrounding San Diego communities of Tijuana River Valley, Nestor, Egger Highlands, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa West will receive a free air purifier and up to two replacement filters.
“We understand that this multi-faceted issue is affecting the quality of life of South Bay communities; our intention with this program is to provide some relief to those most impacted by the odors,” Paula Forbis, the district’s air pollution control officer, said in a statement.
Due to a limited number of purifiers, the district is prioritizing households with children, people over 65, and those living closest to the Tijuana River Valley. Those interested in applying can choose to get a purifier delivered to their home. The district is also organizing events where people can pick up a purifier, but dates and times have yet to be announced.
To qualify, applicants must provide their name, address and proof of residency, according to the district’s website.
In December, the district handed out 300 purifiers during a pre-launch of the program. As of last week, more than 800 residents have applied for a purifier, Forbis said.
District officials set aside about $2.7 million to purchase the purifiers and to cover district staff time to conduct the program. The California Air Resources Board will reimburse the money.
In August, the county spent about $100,000 to purchase and distribute several hundred purifiers.
Officials have said the devices are intended to serve as a short-term solution to bring relief as broader efforts are made to curb cross-border pollution, such as repairs to broken wastewater treatment infrastructure on both sides of the border.
Residents have lodged several complaints with the air district about the odors caused by hydrogen sulfide that stem from untreated sewage in the river. Since July of last year, the district received more than 2,300 complaints.
“In a typical year, we would get 800 complaints, overall, for all sources in the county,” Forbis said in a previous interview.
To apply, visit filters.sdapcd.org.
