Mexico pledges to fight cross-border sewage spills

MEXICO CITY – Mexico says it will rehabilitate five pumping stations in the border city of Tijuana to prevent cross-border sewage spills that have angered U.S. communities in the San Diego area.

The Foreign Relations Department said Wednesday the two countries “are in talks to sign a bilateral agreement that will establish commitments” on the issue.

The department said both countries “will commit resources to address the issue in a co-ordinated manner.”

In 2018, local governments in the San Diego area sued a U.S. agency over the spills.

Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego sued the International Boundary and Water Commission’s U.S. section for failing to prevent Tijuana sewage from flowing through the Tijuana River Valley to the Pacific Ocean, causing U.S. beach closures.