CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
July 16, 2024 {{section.number}}c
CROSS BORDER WATER QUALITY QUARTERLY UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a quarterly report on Cross Border Water Quality and provide direction, as appropriate, to staff regarding the City’s advocacy efforts.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Tijuana’s regional wastewater infrastructure is decades old, has inadequate capacity to treat and convey wastewater and suffers from repeated breaks and system failures. These failures lead to spillage and wastewater discharge into the Tijuana River, its tributaries and outfall into the Pacific Ocean, polluting the ocean waters off Imperial Beach, Coronado and beyond. The City of Coronado has been tirelessly advocating for wastewater treatment solutions since 2016, along with other regional partners.
The City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Cross Border Water Quality was authorized by the City Council on April 2, 2023 and reauthorized on February 6, 2024. The Subcommittee members include Mayor Bailey and Councilmember Duncan with support from City Manager Friend, Assistant City Manager Winney and Andre Monette with BBK, the City’s federal advocate.
The Ad Hoc Committee meets at least monthly to coordinate advocacy efforts on the local, state and federal level. The Ad Hoc Committee developed a work plan to focus advocacy efforts and ensure the involvement of the broad spectrum of partners in long-term solutions to the crossborder water pollution. Major efforts of the Ad Hoc Committee include:
• Conducting ongoing meetings with Coronado’s Federal delegation to urge expedited construction of the current suite of $530 million of improvements and to appropriate future Federal funding to complete the remaining improvements on both sides of the border (~$450 million);
• Encouraging federal authorities to ensure the Mexican government fulfills its commitment to build its projects (particularly the SAB Treatment Plant rehabilitation) with its pledged $144 million;
• Advocating for consistent and ongoing funding of the EPA Border Water Infrastructure Grant Program (BWIP) for maintenance and operations for the IBWC treatment plant and pollution prevention infrastructure at the border;
• Expanding coordination with local jurisdictions and the state for a cohesive advocacy and information sharing.
In addition, Councilmember Downey was appointed to the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee which is responsible for developing policy and advocating on infrastructure and sustainability-related issues such as water infrastructure and water quality, air quality, energy, climate, and solid/hazardous waste management. This includes advocacy for the elimination of cross border water pollution from the Tijuana River Valley.
U.S. EPA / IBWC and Mexico Wastewater Infrastructure Projects To provide international cooperation and funding, the United States and Mexico signed Minute Order 328 in July 2022, a binational agreement committing to implementation of projects to reduce and eliminate cross-border pollution. Through this treaty, the Mexican government is contributing $144 million for improvements to canyon collectors and the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant (SAB Treatment Plant) in Mexico.
In 2022, the total costs for the infrastructure improvements were estimated at $640 million but costs have subsequently increased to $1 billion due to deferred maintenance at the IBWC treatment plant estimated at $150 million. Advocacy to overcome this funding set-back immediately commenced and continues to be a major feature of the City’s current efforts.
For the U.S., infrastructure projects are managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which operates the International Treatment Plant and the collection systems on the U.S. side of the border. To date, approximately $530 million in funding has been allocated to accomplish the following infrastructure improvements to address cross border wastewater collection and treatment:
• Expanding the capacity of the existing International Treatment Plant from 25 million gallons per day (mgd) to 50 mgd;
• Installing trash booms in the Tijuana River on the U.S. side of the border; and • Additional repairs to the wastewater canyon collection system.
With appropriate funding, the combined projects (including Mexico’s improvements) are expected to be completed and operational by the end of 2027 and would result in a 90% reduction in the number of days of transboundary wastewater flow in the Tijuana River and an 80% reduction in untreated wastewater discharged to the Pacific Ocean six miles south of the border.
ANALYSIS:
This report provides an update on Subcommittee activities and progress over the past quarter from March 2024 through May 2024.
Status of Infrastructure Projects and Funding
On March 23, 2024, President Biden signed a Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bill that will inject $200 million to the International Boundary and Water Commission’s budget, including $156 million for water quality construction projects. The funding is a $103 million increase from the previous fiscal year and will facilitate repair and expansion of the International Treatment Plant. The bill also included a funds transfer authority to enable IBWC to receive funds from other federal and non-federal agencies, enabling them to find other funding streams to support the critically needed improvements to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP).
Advocacy conducted by the City Council, San Diego regional partners and others was critical in the March 2024 approval of $200 million in additional infrastructure funding by Congress. The CIty is particularly thankful for the work of our local Federal congressional delegation to move this funding legislation forward, including Congressmember Scott Peters and Senators Butler and Padilla.
In May 2024, Congressmember Peters submitted a new legislative request to increase construction funds for the IBWC as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill. The proposed $200 million in construction funding would be allocated to the IBWC’s rehabilitation and expansion of the SBIWTP. As this bill makes its way through the budget process, it will present another opportunity to advocate for funding with our elected representatives in Washington D.C. this fall.
The IBWC continues repairs to the SBIWTP due to excess flows into the plant from Mexico and solids overloading the primary treatment system. Three primary sedimentation tanks are scheduled to return to operation in July and will be sufficient to regain permit compliance.
The Mexican pump station PBCILA was also brought back online on May 24, 2024 with one pump now in operation. Mexico also remains committed to complete repairs to the SAB Treatment Plant by September 2024, which is projected to significantly reduce the impacts from southern swells in Coronado.
The IBWC also maintains plans to award the design-build agreement for the SBIWTP Expansion Project this summer, with estimated project completion in 2027.
IBWC Citizen’s Forum
Councilmember John Duncan currently serves on the IBWC Citizen’s Advisory Board Forum. The IBWC Citizens Forum (CF) was established in 2002 to facilitate the exchange of information between the IBWC and members of the public, government agencies, and other interested stakeholders. Councilmember Duncan has advocated for the interests of all South Bay cities, including Coronado, as a member of Citizen’s Forum.
The CF meets quarterly; however, no meetings took place in the second quarter 2024. Coronado will serve as host to the next two Citizen’s Advisory Board Forum meetings, scheduled for July 10 and November 13. At the July 10th meeting, the CF heard updates on IBWC activities in the San Diego Region and current efforts at dredging and berm repair in the Tijuana River Valley by the County and City of San Diego. Copies of the presentations provided at each meeting can be found on their website at https://www.ibwc.gov.
Next Steps
IBWC has a number of internal assessments taking place to develop a more refined schedule for implementation of infrastructure improvements and future funding needs. The Subcommittee will continue their advocacy work to ensure support of necessary funding for additional wastewater infrastructure improvement projects and to advocate for expeditious completion of the projects, including those in Mexico. This will include determining the most advantageous time to conduct future advocacy meetings with representatives in Washington D.C.
Updates will continue to be posted on the Cross Border Water Pollution project website at:
https://www.projectcoronado.org/cross-border-water-pollution.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
ALTERNATIVE:
The City Council could direct staff to pursue alternate direction on cross border water pollution efforts.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
Not Applicable.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
No notice required.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
Submitted By: City Manager's Office / Tony Winney