For over 1,000 days, the beaches of Imperial Beach — one of San Diego’s most tight-knit and vibrant coastal communities — have been under near-constant closure. The reason? Millions of gallons of raw sewage, industrial waste, and runoff from the Tijuana River are polluting our shores, impacting air quality, marine life, and public health.

What used to be a place for surfing, sunsets, and sandcastles is now lined with yellow warning signs. And this isn’t just a water issue anymore — it’s in the air too.

A groundbreaking study from UC San Diego recently confirmed that pollutants from the Tijuana River, including methamphetamine, octinoxate (from sunscreen), and even cocaine residues, are being aerosolized by sea spray. In Imperial Beach, these pollutants were found in the air at levels comparable to those inside wastewater treatment plants. It’s no wonder residents are reporting chronic respiratory issues, insomnia, nausea, and headaches.

Community members like Reshae Cuevas have lived with the consequences. After storms, she and her son have fallen violently ill. “We're sick,” she said. “It’s everybody around.” Others, like longtime fisherman Jorge Arrollo, say fish populations have vanished — and those that remain are too contaminated to eat.

Local leaders, including Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Congressman Juan Vargas, have fought hard for funding. Senator Cory Booker recently visited Imperial Beach, calling it “the nation’s worst environmental and public health crisis.” Though recent federal investments mark progress, many worry it’s too little, too slow.

This pollution isn’t accidental. It stems from failing infrastructure, decades of neglect, and a lack of cross-border cooperation. In Tijuana, factories dump untreated waste directly into the river. On the U.S. side, a crumbling sewage treatment plant struggles to keep up. The Tijuana Estuary — a globally recognized protected wetland — is now suffocating under sediment and trash.

What You Can Do:

🌊 Speak Up: Contact your elected officials. Demand full funding and stronger binational collaboration.

🌿 Support Local Organizations: Groups like Wildcoast and San Diego Coastkeeper are leading the fight on the ground.

📢 Spread the Word: The more attention this issue gets, the more pressure we place on leaders to act.

Imperial Beach residents deserve clean air, safe water, and a future where their kids can grow up playing on the shore — not avoiding it. It’s time to fix this. Not later. Now.