IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — As rain continues to fall in San Diego County, the shoreline in Imperial Beach is closed once again. Sewage from outdated treatment plants just south of the border are sending toxic sludge to the north.
The yellow "keep out" signs are all too familiar for people that live near the beach, warning beachgoers to keep out because of the contaminated water.
“It's kind of something we're used to, unfortunately, it makes us sad that nothing ever gets done,” said Marcelino Aguilar, an Imperial Beach resident for the last eight years.
Imperial Beach's new mayor, Paloma Aguirre, has been fighting this issue for years — first as a city councilwoman, and now as the leader of the city.
“We’ve had a record number of beach closures this year; we had 365. The south end of Imperial Beach was closed, and 165 days our pier shoreline,” said Aguirre.
She said her first goal is ensuring Punta Bandera, a sewage treatment plant in Mexico, is fixed.
“That's outdated. It's not working. It's about six miles south of the border; it's entirely under Mexican jurisdiction,” said Aguirre.
The new mayor says Mexico has already committed $144 million to fix the treatment plant reducing beach closures during wet weather months by 60%. The long-term the goal is to reduce closures by 100%
Beachgoers hope those repairs happen quickly so they can enjoy their beaches.
