The San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a proposal to advance regional solutions to the Tijuana River sewage crisis and better protect South County communities from toxic exposure.

The plan, developed in partnership with Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Championed by Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer,  provides a focused framework for immediate County action while long-term federal infrastructure upgrades remain years away.

“Federal help is coming, but it’s not here yet. And families in South County can’t keep waiting,” said Chair Lawson-Remer. “We’re doing what we can right now—cleaning up toxic sites, protecting kids in schools, and putting real resources behind a local response.”

The proposal includes:

• Cleanup of toxic hotspots like the Saturn Boulevard culvert

• A public health study on long-term exposure to airborne contaminants

• Support for school air filtration and HVAC upgrades

• Creation of a County sewage response coordinator

• County matching fund to unlock outside investment

It also establishes an Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Board, composed of Supervisors from the most impacted districts, to oversee implementation, strengthen coordination, and advance additional recommendations in the months ahead.

The plan fulfills a key commitment from Chair Lawson-Remer’s 2025 State of the County Address, which called for a County matching fund to support local protections while major federal projects are still pending. To view the 2025 State of the County Address, visit:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGWORQPsvas&t=1s

Mayor Aguirre’s leadership was pivotal in shaping the plan — drawing from her years of on-the-ground experience in Imperial Beach and translating community priorities into a clear, actionable roadmap.

The Board directed staff to return by September 30, 2025 with implementation options and a funding strategy to move the initiatives forward.