International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
International Boundary & Water Commission
San Diego Field Office
Imperial Beach Special Council Workshop
March 29, 2023
Morgan Rogers
Area Operations Manager
U.S. Section- IBWC
1 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC)
Headquarters El Paso, TX
Independent Federal Agency
• State Department relationship
2023 construction budget - $55M
Responsibilities:
• Dams & Hydroelectric Plants
• Boundary Demarcations
• Flood Control
• Water Delivery
• Sanitation
2 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
IBWC San Diego Field Office (SDFO)
2995 Clearwater Way, San Diego, CA 92135
Staffing
• Area Operations Manager
• Civil Engineer
• Civil Engineering Technicians (2)
• Supply Technician
• HQ support
Focus
• South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) • Transboundary Flows
3 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant
Priorities
• Treatment Plant Assessment & Expansion
• JB1 Replacement
• Mitigating excess flows
Proposed Expansion 4 Existing
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Transboundary Flows
5 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Transboundary Flows - Canyon Collectors
Smugglers’ Gulch
6 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Transboundary Flows – Tijuana River
7 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
8 Tijuana River Channel Temporary Berm
• Mexico
• US
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
9 Canyon Collectors
• Daily Inspections
• Sandbags
• Wet Weather Events
• Equipment
• Catch basins
• Trash Boom Stewarts Drain
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
10 Communications, Planning, and Reporting
• Communications protocol
• Inspection Reports
• Spill & Transboundary Flow Reports
• Notifications
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
11 Communications, Planning, and Reporting
• Citizens’ Forums
• Transboundary Flow Investigations
• Stewarts Drain Flow Minimization
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Lawsuit Settlement Agreement
12 Water Quality Monitoring
• Minute 320 Binational Core Group
• Baseline assessment
• Performance assessment
• Additional water quality monitoring
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
13 Communications with MX
• Bi-Annual Regional meetings (March 1-2, 2023)
• Monthly meetings CILA/IBWC
• Quarterly meetings CILA/IBWC/CESPT/Veolia (April 1, 2023) • Weekly samples drop-off and updates
• Email/telephone as needed
• WhatsApp as needed and more immediate responses
• Veolia-CESPT Operators
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
For additional information, contact:
Morgan Rogers
Area Operations Manager
U.S. Section- IBWC
(619) 662-7601
[email protected]
14 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
Backup Slides
15 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
USMCA projects
16 International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
17 Existing Flow Schematic
International Boundary & Water Commission
United States Section
US - Tijuana Wastewater System
18 Photo: Nick Statom & Stephen Holleman
USMCA Tijuana Projects update
Special Council Workshop, City of IB
Doug Liden, EPA
March 29, 2023
1 Statement of Intent
• Agreement between EPA and CONAGUA
• Framework for implementing the comprehensive infrastructure solution, identify projects, resources and timelines.
• Includes commitment to invest in short- and long-term projects on both sides of border.
• Signed July 1, 2022
Minute 328
• Agreement between USIBWC and CILA
• First step in binational implementation of the Statement of Intent framework
• Includes cost-share on O&M of ITP
• Signed July 19, 2022; Entry into force on August 18, 2022 Summary of Binational Agreements
2 Short-Term Projects Summary (2022-2027)
3 Capital Cost Share by Country (millions US dollars)
Project Location United States Mexico Total
United States $ 300.0 $ - $ 300.0
Mexico $ 30.3 $ 143.7 $ 174.0
Total $ 330.3 $ 143.7 $ 474.0
Short-Term Treatment & Reuse Projects
(2022-2027)
4 Capital Cost Share by Country (million US dollars)
Project
Location Project Name United States Mexico Total
United
States Expansion of SBIWTP to 50 mgd (Project 3) $ 300.0 $ - $ 300.0 Mexico
Phase 1 of reuse of La Morita and Arturo Herrera effluent $ 10.0 $ 10.0 $ 20.0 New 18 MGD SABTP $ - $ 33.3 $ 33.3
Total $ 310.0 $ 43.3 $ 353.3
Short-Term Sewage Collection & Conveyance
Projects (2022-2027)
5 Capital Cost Share by Country (million US dollars)
Project Location Project Name United States Mexico Total Mexico
Rehabilitation of PB-CILA $ - $ 4.0 $ 4.0
Rehabilitation of PB-1 $ 8.0 $ 4.0 $ 12.0
Oriente collector $ 0.9 $ 0.9 $ 1.8
Rehabilitation of the International Collector $ 8.0 $ 8.0 $ 16.0 Rehabilitation of the parallel gravity line $ - $ 10.3 $ 10.3 Rehabilitation of the Antiguo Force Main $ - $ 9.5 $ 9.5 Enclose the open channel from PB-1 to SABTP $ - $ 12.8 $ 12.8 Rehabilitation of the Insurgentes Collector $ - $ 17.9 $ 17.9 Rehabilitation of Poniente Interceptor $ - $ 1.4 $ 1.4
Rehabilitation of the Collector Carranza $ - $ 2.9 $ 2.9 Rehabilitation of the Oriente Interceptor $ - $ 15.5 $ 15.5 Lift station and force main from Sainz Canyon to
Arturo Herrera
$ - $ 2.2 $ 2.2
Rehabilitation of PB Matadero and Laureles 1 and 2 $ - $ 7.6 $ 7.6 Tijuana River Gates $ 1.9 $ 1.9 $ 3.8
Backup power supply for PB-1 $ 1.5 $ 1.5 $ 3.0
Total $ 20.3 $ 100.4 $ 120.7
Infrastructure in red is part of the scope for rehabilitation, replacement, etc.
SBOO
International Treatment
Plant Expansion (50 MGD)
PB-CILA
(upgraded)
Rehabilitate
PB1
New 18 MGD San Antonio de
los Buenos Plant (SABTP)
Phase I Water
Reuse Project
Rodriguez
Reservoir
Rehabilitate
Canyon Pumps
International Collector
Short-Term Projects (2022-2027)
Tijuana River Gates
Projects in U.S.
• Beginning in 2023, Mexico’s contribution
towards O&M of the ITP will be~20%;
U.S. to cover remaining ~80% of O&M costs
• Cost sharing of O&M defined through 2032;
subsequent Minutes to define future O&M
cost sharing
• For any flows above the design capacity,
Mexico will pay the full treatment cost at
the ITP
• Mexico will continue to dispose of sludge
from the expanded ITP
Minute 328: O&M of Short-Term Projects
7 Projects in Mexico
• Rehabilitation of Pump Station CILA (PB-CILA)
• Operated and maintained by Mexican Section of IBWC
• O&M expenses to be reimbursed by the U.S. up to an amount determined by the USIBWC, contingent on Mexico paying their share of ITP O&M
• Diverted river flows would no longer be conveyed to the ITP without prior approval of the USIBWC once PB1 improvements are made
Projects in both U.S. and Mexico
• Details included in future IBWC Minute(s) as funding is available • The USIBWC and CILA will develop Terms of Reference to ensure adequate funding for O&M Minute 328: O&M of Short-Term Projects
8 • NADBank oversight provisions:
• Monitors procurement and construction, including reports, meetings and field visits • Requires sponsor to establish reserves for:
• Operations and maintenance
• Repair and replacement
• IBWC oversight provisions:
• Joint IBWC/CILA oversight of all projects in Minute 328 • Joint IBWC/CILA inspection tours of Tijuana River
• Detect where sewage enters river
• Identify sources of sewage entering river
Construction and O&M Oversight
9 Long-Term Projects
Additional funding will be necessary to complete these projects 10 Capital Cost Share by Country (million US dollars)
Project Location Project Name United States Mexico Total United States
(listed in current
priority order)
Capture of methane at the ITP
See below*
$ 21
Further ITP expansion up to 60 MGD $ 75
Trash boom(s) in the Tijuana River $ 2
Tijuana River Wastewater Treatment Plant (APTP) $ 104
US-side diversion of the Tijuana River $ 27
Sub-Total $ 229**
United States
and Mexico
Convey flows from the canyons to the ITP by gravity
See below*
$ 31
Return line for treated flows from the ITP to Mexico $ 12 Sub-Total $ 43**
Mexico Phase II reuse of La Morita and Arturo Herrera effluent See below*
$ 55
Sub-Total $ 55
Total $ 327
*Long-term project cost shares will be determined later **An estimated ~$250M in additional funding is needed from the U.S.
SBOO Trash boom in TJR
Long-Term Projects
Water Reuse
River flows pumped by
PB-CILA to the APTP
Tijuana River
Wastewater Treatment
Plant (APTP)
Infrastructure in red is part of the scope for rehabilitation, replacement, etc.
US-Side River Diversion
International
Treatment Plant
Expansion (60 MGD)
1 2
Convey canyon
flows to ITP
Rodriguez
Reservoir
Phase II Water
Reuse Project
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process:
• Requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental and related social and economic impacts of proposed federal actions prior to making decisions • Provides opportunity for public review and comment on those evaluations • EPA and USIBWC have prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)
Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action
• Reduce transboundary flows from Tijuana that convey pollutants, sewage, and/or trash into the U.S. and cause adverse public health and environmental impacts in the Tijuana River watershed and adjacent coastal areas NEPA and Public Review
12 • 45-day public review period for the Draft
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(PEIS) ended on August 1st
• Public comments
• 13 written and oral comments at the public
meetings (July 19th & 20th)
• 15 unique emails with ~250 form letters
• Response to comments will be provided in the
Final PEIS Record of Decision
Public Review of Draft Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement
13 14
1. Diagnostic of existing
plant
2.Refined cost estimate
for expansion
3. Suggestions for
delivery mechanism (DB,
DBB, CMAR, etc)
EPA/IBWC-funded study
:
15 Installation of WQ sonde at site of river flow gage- SDSU/EPA/IBWC 16 Modeling impacts of TJ River Barrier
Imperial Beach Pier
STRATEGY
• Use ocean computer models analogous to
weather models
• evaluate sewage effects on swimmer health
• evaluate US/MX sewage infrastructure
scenarios
OUTLINE
1. Regional sewage sources, impacts, testing
2. Example model sewage events
3. Impacts for "business as usual"
4. Infrastructure scenarios considered
5. Scenario evaluation via reduction in beach closure
6. Impacts of this work & the future Significant Raw Wastewater Input to Region (Feddersen, Boehm, Giddings, Wu, and Liden, GeoHealth 2021) Modeling ocean untreated wastewater transport and human illness in the US/Mexico Border region
US
MX
US
MX
Imperial Beach
TJRE
San Diego/Tijuana Sewage Sources to Ocean: TJRE and SAB/PTB San Antonio de Los Buenos
Pt. Bandera (SAB/PTB)
photo Wildcoast
Photo: Nick Statom & Stephen Holleman
US
MX
TJRE
Imperial Beach
Tijuana River Estuary (TJRE) as a Raw Sewage Source to Ocean • Normal Conditions (pre 2020): raw
sewage enters TJRE when it rains
• Upper limit of ~10 Million Gallons per
Day (MGD)
• Modeling not considering catastrophic
infrastructure failure
TJRE
Imperial Beach
Photo: Serge Dedina
San Antonio de los Buenos, Pt Bandera (SAB/PTB) releases 35 MGD Raw Sewage directly onto the Beach
US
MX
youtube video from Surfrider Foundation and Wildcoast
Historically largely neglected in considering US swimmer illness 15 km Can water from SAB/PTB make it north?
photo: Serge Dedina
Issues with culture based beach monitoring efforts
1. Take water sample
2. Culture FIB bacteria in lab, 24 hrs
3. if positive close beach for ~3 days
But….
Swimmer illness is dominated from Norovirus (Boehm & Soller, 2020).
FIB only indicate a fecal source
FIB die in sunlight with 8 hr half life;
Norovirus has a 14-day half life in ocean! (Boehm & Soller, 2020) Norovirus not sampled!
What drives alongcoast pollution plumes?
Surfzone Alongshore Transport Depends on Wave Angle
Winter
NW
waves
Summer
South
Swell
waves
Simulate Year 2017 raw sewage
plumes with ocean model
including surfzone, shelf, estuary
Modeling the Year 2017 Raw Sewage Concentrations
Winter Big Event (from TJRE) Summer Big Event (from SAB/PTB)
SAB/PTB
photo: Dedina photo: Wildcoast
10-3 is 1:1000 dilution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhUEWXbLT0
(coastal hydrodynamic model described in Wu et al., J. Phys Oceangr. 2021,2022a,b) Business as Usual: Raw Sewage to Swimmer Illness due to Norovirus US
MX
TJRE
SAB/PTB
• Norovirus is not covid-19
• Norovirus plentiful in raw sewage & dominates swimmer illness risk • Norovirus not tested for in beach water sampling
• Norovirus symptoms: GI (common), fever/aches (less common) • Norovirus statistics known for raw sewage
• Norovirus Illness modeled for 2017
864K yearly
swimmers
34.3K (4%)
yearly NoV
sick swimmers
2017
(10/1 to 4/1)
(5/22 to 9/8)
TJRE
SAB/PTB
Business as Usual: Percentage time beaches should be closed from Norovirus EPA guidelines:
beach should be closed if >3.2% swimmers would get sick Playas Tijuana
Imperial Beach
Silver Strand
Hotel del
Coronado
• Playas Tijuana most impacted
• Impacts slowly lessen farther north
• SAB/PTB source has the largest impacts!
• Method for determining illness rates & beach closures • Determine benefits of USMCA infrastructure projects
TJRE
SAB/PTB
Percent of Beach Closures Under the Four Scenarios with Norovirus (Section 4.1) Playas Tijuana
Imperial Beach
Silver Strand
Hotel del
Coronado
1. scenario A: divert TJRE <35 MGD, reduce SAB/PTB a lot
2. scenario B: divert TJRE < 100 MGD, baseline SAB/PTB
3. scenario C: divert TJRE < 163 MGD, baseline SAB/PTB
• scenario A: largest reduction beach closures overall, • scenarios B,C: largest reduction during wet season
Fixing SAB/PTB gives greatest benefits for year
2017
Scenario A: likely gives greatest benefits for 2020 as well The importance of SAB/PTB source
is being recognized due to this work
“This critical study helped us address beach water quality impacts caused by untreated sewage on both sides of the border more effectively and binationally. Thanks to this effort, EPA proposed a series of projects, to be funded in part by USMCA funds, that will better address U.S. and Mexican sources of sewage.”
-Lily Lee, manager of the EPA Region 9 Water Infrastructure Office, "After reviewing the recent study, federal and local officials prioritized efforts to reroute much of the wastewater
currently pumped to Punta Bandera" -SD Union Tribune
Our results influenced EPA Border Water Infrastructure Decision Making Model predicts large summer time beach advisory percentage • criticism: HdC not that contaminated!
• but… county was measuring for FIB
which die quickly
• norovirus lives a long time (14 d half life)
• summer 2022: county switched to
ddPCR based method and…
This is exactly what the model predicted for summer 2017 What we'd like to do next
Develop Shoreline Forecast Model of Human Illness Risk
for the US/Mexico Border Region
Allow family in Chula Vista to know whether can
take kids to the beach in IB on the weekend
• Combine pathogen ecology & hydrodynamic
models in forecast mode
• Leverage previous investment by NSF and
NADB/EPA
• Provide regional 3-5 day forecasts for beach
swimmers
• Interdisciplinary
Questions?
Feddersen/Giddings NSF funded CSIDE Experiment 2015
IB/Silver Strand Dye Release during South Swell (Grimes et al. 2020) US
MX
Operational Product using HF Radar:
Tijuana River Coastal Plume Tracker
Often the HF radar coverage is not good
LIKE YOUR FIRST iPHONE in 2007
Plume Modeling Technology is > 10 years old
Does not measure within 1 mile of shore
Modeling for USMCA decision making
1. baseline scenario (business as usual)
2. scenario A:
• divert TJRE inflow up to 35 MGD
• reduce SAB/PTB to 10 MGD treated wastewater
3. scenario B:
• divert TJRE inflow up to 100 MGD
• no change at SAB/PTB
4. scenario C:
• divert TJRE inflow up to 163 MGD
• no change at SAB/PTB
US
MX
TJRE
SAB/PTB
Model three scenarios for year 2017
Use model to calculate percentage of time
beach should be closed from Norovirus
Coupled Model Background (Section 2)
US
MX
TJRE
SAB/PTB
• Hydrodynamic (wave/current) model COAWST
• Spans region shown, includes surfzone and estuaries
• Has untreated sewage entering at TJRE and SAB/PTB
• Norovirus (NoV) pathogen is modeled: Has 10 day decay timescale! • Norovirus plentiful in raw sewage & dominates swimmer illness risk • Norovirus not tested for in beach water sampling
• Norovirus symptoms: GI (common), fever/aches (less common) • City of IB has beach visitor numbers -> swimmer numbers • NoV infection and illness is modeled for individual swimmers • Result: Total number of IB ill swimmers per month/season/year US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement
funding allocated to EPA Border Water Infrastructure
Program
EPA Decides
what infrastructure projects give best benefit?
Modeling the Year 2017 Untreated Wastewater Concentrations Summer Big Event (from SAB/PTB)
• July 2017
• Almost 10 days south swell (waves from the south)
• Wastewater impacts from SAB/PTB to entire region
SAB/PTB
photo: Wildcoast
BACTERIAL AND CHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF
COASTAL WATER POLLUTION FROM THE
TIJUANA RIVER IN SEA SPRAY AEROSOL
MARCH 29, 2023
Kimberly A. Prather, Ph.D.
Distinguished Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry
Director, NSF Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment Dr. Matthew Pendergraft
Tijuana Estuary Region (Imperial Beach, CA)
Published:
March 2, 2023
Coastal Ocean Can Be a Significant Source of Airborne Pollutants and Microbes Major Finding:
Up to 76% of the
bacteria in Imperial
Beach air linked to
sewage in Tijuana River
20 miles
Imperial Beach (IBSCa)
Pendergraft, et al. PeerJ, 2021
• Determine the health effects of inhaling these
bioaerosol and pollutant mixtures (compare
w/ SIO and other locations)
• Understand ocean/atmosphere conditions
that lead to efficient transfer of viruses and
bacteria
• Ongoing study in Imperial Beach: collecting air,
estuary, and ocean water samples
• Will engage the local community in sampling
and improving indoor air quality (sampling at
schools, homes)
• Future studies during different seasons
(congressionally directed funds-Rep. Scott
Peters)
Implications: Climate change is leading
to more intense storms and flooding
Entire Imperial Beach science team
Imperial Beach lifeguards:
Robert Stabenow, Jason Lindquist, Art Ayala, Trevor Spence, Adam Wraight, Jesus Gonzalez
Tijuana River National Estuary Research Reserve and CA State Parks:
Jeff Crooks, Chris Peregrin, Justin McCullough, Cara Stafford CA Border Patrol:
Agents Amber Craig, Clinton Cox, and Paul Sheehan
Imperial Beach community
Funding
UC San Diego: Understanding and Protecting the Planet Initiative Dankberg Family Foundation
National Science Foundation
Congressional funds (Rep. Scott Peters)
Balvi Foundation
http://airborne.ucsd.edu
Acknowledgements - Collaborators & Support
Greg Sandstrom (Lead)
[email protected]; @kprather88
IMPERIAL BEACH
SPECIAL COUNCIL WORKSHOP
MARCH 29, 2023
HEATHER BUONOMO
Agency Roles and Responsibilities
• CA Dept. of Public Healthoversight of state law, established/set threshold. Authorized use of ddPCR • US Environmental Protection Agencysets illness standards (human risk threshold for rec water at 32-36 illness per 1000 swimmers) and approval process for the use of ddPCR
• Dept. of Environmental Health and Quality –
collects samples, implements beach safety act
• Public Health Lab- processes water quality samples
• Other- Southern CA Water Research Project, University CA San Diegoresearch and analysis Program Objectives
• Prevent Recreational Water Illness
Through Public Awareness of
Water Quality Collect water
samples
• Collect Samples
• Communicate Sample Results
• Beach Management Action
• Public Outreach & Education
• California: CA Health and Safety Code, AB 411 (1997)
• Applies to beaches with > 50K visitors annually
• Applies to beaches with summer surface water runoff
• Sample April thru October
• Specifies target bacteria
• Authorizes State health standards
• Results from other sampling agencies
Regulations
Sample Locations
• 45 DEHQ sample locations
• 54 locations sampled by
other public agencies
• 99 total locations
sdbeachinfo.com
Daily Analysis
Sample results
IBWC Gauge
Plume Tracker
Wind/Swell/Tide
Lifeguards
6 Public Notification Methods
• Website – sdbeachinfo.com
• Beach Signage
• Telephone Hotline (619.338.2073)
• Twitter (@SDBeachH2O)
• Facebook (@SDEnvirohealth)
• Email notification
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Agenda
Community Concern Local Case Study
Q: Community - What is in our water? Why do results take so long after sampling? Results do not seem to be consistent with today’s water quality?
Q: DEHQ- Is there a simpler and quicker water quality analysis method to give same day results? A: PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) - results in 8 hours The Road to a Rapid PCR Test
2012 2022
Evaluation
for qPCR
Small Scale
Study
2013 2014 2015-2017 2017-2020 2021
SB 1395
CDPH approval for funding to
further study ddPCR, working
group implemented
ddPCR vs Enterolert
comparative sample
study and analysis
Journal Publication
Final EPA Approval
Initial State Approval
Final
Approvals
>3,000 samples collected
Samples collected weekly for more than one year
51 sample locations
Samples analyzed for Enterococcus spp.
Analyzed by current culture method and new PCR
Statistical comparison showed PCR is accurate
PCR Study Highlights
Area Total #of Closures Total #of Days
Tijuana Slough
Shoreline
1 365
Imperial Beach
Shoreline
23 166
Silver Strand
Shoreline
21 90
Coronado Shoreline 10 35
All Other Non-South
County Beaches
6 12
YEAR Advisories
2018 114
2019 153
2020 125
2021 104
2022 103
Beach Water Quality Data
Resources & Information Available at:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/
deh/lwqd/beachandbay/
Frequently Asked Questions document
Testing method comparison chart
Beach and Bay Program signage (4 tiers—open, advisory, warning, closure) Up to the minute information regarding beach status at www.sdbeachinfo.com Tiered system for beach management action
State Water Resource Control Board- All State Beach Water Quality Data Questions?