Tijuana River

Imperial Beach, Coronado Shoreline Remain Closed as Crews Fix Broken Sewer Line in Tijuana

NBC Universal, Inc.

The last couple of weeks have been really frustrating for people visiting Imperial Beach and Coronado. The beaches there are facing extended closures because of a pair of ruptured sewer lines in Tijuana.

The flow of wastewater is expected to stop by this weekend, according to the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC). That won't be enough to open the beaches back up, but officials on both sides of the border are feeling confident about the cleanup.

One of the breached sewer lines handles 80% of Tijuana's raw waste.

Isela Canaba, project manager for pipeline repairs on the U.S. side, gave NBC7 and other media outlets a tour of the project area Thursday.

"You saw flows going through the Tijuana River and increased flows in our treatment plants, and that’s where we are right now," Canaba said.

Canaba said a failed air relief valve caused a geyser of wastewater to pour down the pipeline and into an area known as Smuggler’s Gulch. Slope erosion led to a break in a 48-inch main and washed out another 42-inch line running next to the border fence.

IBWC Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner said repairs are moving along and the larger pipe will be operational by this weekend. As for the smaller pipe along the wall, "There are some variables that will need to be addressed, but once those variables are addressed we are hoping to get the second line, the 42-inch line, running," Giner said.

Giner added that the smaller pipe is expected to take six weeks. Heavy rains and heavy wastewater periods are when that second line is needed, so it is still necessary for the system.

"That 48-inch line will remove the raw sewage going into the Tijuana River as well. We will still have an increased flow going to our plant which is the second line," she said.

Fixing the 48-inch line will prevent wastewater runoff in the Tijuana River, according to Giner.

When the beaches will reopen is anyone’s guess. The IBWC says the pipe breaks and erosion had no impact on the fence line there.

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