A federal survey of conditions in the Tijuana River Valley, where sewage and toxic chemicals spill over from Mexico, affirmed what people have reported for years: their household lives have been upended and their chronic conditions have worsened.
On Thursday, the San Diego County public health department unveiled the results of an October survey conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state. The study, a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, or CASPER, follows mounting calls from the public to investigate the potential health impacts of repeatedly being exposed to untreated wastewater and air from the polluted river.
“The information gathered from households revealed a profound awareness of the Tijuana River sewage crisis, highlighting the pervasive impact on daily life, health, and well-being. While most households are aware of the situation, many continue to risk exposure,” the study said.
Ankita Kadakia, the county’s interim public health officer, said the CDC survey was invaluable as it put “everything that people have been experiencing … into a scientific study that can now be used, one, to validate their concerns … but also be used further for advocacy to bring more resources to this region.”
The randomized, door-to-door effort aimed to get 210 people to complete the survey. Teams had visited 480 households and 333 people answered the door. Of those who answered, 189 completed the two-page questionnaire, county officials said.
According to the methodology, CASPERs typically involve selecting 30 census blocks and interviewing seven households within each block. The randomized blocks were designed to represent the 40,911 households in and around the Tijuana River Valley.
County officials were caught off guard by one finding: 71% of households believed their tap water was unsafe to consume, 67% used bottled water as their primary source of drinking water and 28% said they changed their source of drinking water specifically because of the sewage crisis.
Households reported concerns such as “it smells,” “do not want to get sick” and “want to be sure we have clean water.”
“This is something that we have heard, but to see it with those kind of striking numbers is concerning,” said Seema Shah, county interim deputy public health officer.
In August 2023, a water service provider issued a dayslong boil-water advisory for several parts of South County after E. coli was found in the drinking water system in the wake of Tropical Storm Hilary, which brought billions of gallons of sewage-tainted water from Tijuana into the river valley area. Company officials had said there was no indication that the water was actually contaminated, but urged customers to flush the plumbing in their homes.
Days later, several residents reported experiencing gastrointestinal illnesses. Many have testified about being skeptical about the safety of their drinking water since that event.
Soon after the CASPER was completed, the county received preliminary results and learned about the community’s heavy concerns with their drinking water.
So, in an Oct. 22 letter to the California Environmental Protection Agency, Kadakia requested that the state Water Resources Control Board test drinking water more frequently “to ensure the water remains safe and share these results with the community.”
On Oct. 30, CalEPA responded, saying the water sources used for Imperial Beach “are many miles removed and not in the same watershed as the Tijuana River.”
“These sources undergo extensive treatment to remove all contamination and then are treated to prevent any recontamination,” Anna Naimark, CalEPA’s water policy deputy secretary, told Kadakia. “Water is then delivered by sealed and pressurized pipe so that contaminants cannot make their way into the pipes. This water is then regularly tested to ensure ongoing safety.”
Kadakia said Thursday that the county has met regularly with water agencies and South Bay service providers to inform them of residents’ concerns so that they can help inform the public that their water is safe, including publishing their water test results.
The CASPER also found that just less than half of households reported having at least one health symptom caused by the cross-border sewage crisis, such as headaches, nausea and dry throat. Most with chronic conditions, such as allergies, migraines, asthma and lung pain, said their symptoms have worsened.
Nearly 20% said they needed medical care because of the sewage crisis and 70% believed their symptoms improved after leaving the area.
Mental health has also been impacted, results showed. Just under 60% reported feeling more stressed and 63% reported one or more signs of emotional distress, such as increased anxiety, and feeling isolated.
Some said they have had nightmares, mood swings, trouble concentrating and consumed more drugs and alcohol. Others reported that they have stopped visiting parks and the beach, gardening, or partaking in other outdoor activities.
Of the 109 people who said they had pets, 7% reported a loss or serious illness of their pet because of the sewage crisis. The county said it is working with South Bay veterinarians, animal hospitals and the San Diego Humane Society to monitor for pet illnesses.
The CASPER issued several recommendations the county said it is already working on, including working with agencies to distribute resources on water safety, pet health, promoting mental health hotlines and working with the San Diego Air Pollution Control District to distribute air purifiers.
Additionally, the report suggested the need for a more in-depth study on long-term health and behavioral health effects.
Last week, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) said it would investigate potential health impacts after reviewing data of hydrogen sulfide detected in the air near the sewage crisis. It’s unclear when the investigation will begin.
Also on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff asked Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency nominee, whether he would reconsider a recent decision by the federal agency to deny investigating the Tijuana River’s Superfund designation potential. Zeldin said he would.
The CASPER report can be found on the county’s online South County dashboard at sandiegocounty.gov/southregionhealth.
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