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'Stop the Poop' group protests cross-border sewage spills

Posted at 2:25 PM, Jul 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-06 17:25:45-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV)--A group of people fed up with trans-border sewage spills protested in front of the Mexican Consulate in Little Italy Thursday morning.

The founder of the 'Stop the Poop' group, Tijuana River Valley resident Baron Partlow, said the group's concerns had been ignored for too long. They’ve had trouble reaching out to environmental officials in Mexico, and that’s why brought their concerns to the consulate today. 

The group carried signs that read "stop the poop" and chanted "no Mexican sewage!"

The march comes after the most recent spill involving millions of gallons of water poured in from Mexico when a pipe burst in June.  Although the water may have been clean at first, by the time it reached the U.S., trash and sewage were carried over.

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Partlow said this has been going on for too long and in February when millions of gallons of raw sewage polluted and shut down local beaches, he said he needed to do something.

He said officials in Mexico haven’t been doing enough so he’s hoping today’s protest in front of the consulate will bring change so everyone can go back to enjoying Imperial Beach.

“I’m a world-class body surfer, and I can’t even go to my beach," Partlow said. "I have a grandson who I would love to be taking to the beach and instructing him on all aspects of ocean recreation, ocean appreciation and how to swim in the ocean and I can’t do it at my beach." 

10News reporter Mimi Elkalla reached out to the Mexican Consulate but said they could not comment at this time.

Sandy Coronilla is a KGTV digital producer. Follow her @10NewsSandy