Help could soon be on the way for people in the South Bay, living with what they say is a horrible, unhealthy smell that has gotten worse the past few weeks. Neighbors in Nestor say the stink from the Tijuana River is exceptionally bad at night.
"We have family gatherings, and you want to go outside to the backyard or the garden, which is a no because of the smell,” resident Jose Lopez said.
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Resident Enrique Ames says he worries about the health implications for his son, who has had a kidney transplant.
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Ames isn’t alone. Neighbors say not only does the smell wake them up at night, they too are concerned about health issues.
“I’m sure it could have some kind of biohazard. At night, I can’t sleep. It gives me a headache. I noticed a lot more flus for my kids and grandchildren," resident Frank Ortegoza said.
A spokesperson with the International Boundary and Water Commission says the latest stink stems from the river flow, which includes sewage slowing and pooling after the rainy season and mixing with the heat. He also noted a wastewater pump station in Mexico across from Smuggler’s Gulch isn’t operating properly and is overflowing into the Nestor area.
The IBWC spokesperson says they have been pressuring Mexico to make repairs, so the sewage doesn't flow across the border.
“We need some help for sure," Lopez said.
More immediate help could come later this month when the river flow is expected to drop from about 60 million to 45 million gallons per day. The IBWC says that's when they'll be able to turn on a pump station and divert flows from the river into the wastewater system in Tijuana.
That will hopefully give some relief to South Bay residents feeling neglected by the government.
“They don't care too much about us, that’s the feeling," Ames said.
Members of the IBWC are scheduled to meet with their Mexican counterparts on Thursday for an update on repairs and request a visit to the pump station to help make repairs faster.
For more on the efforts federal and local leaders have recently taken to address the sewage crisis, check out our special called "Toxic Tide."
