SAN DIEGO — The county is moving forward with plans to tackle the decades-long Tijuana River crisis after approving a study and conceptual engineering work for a potential treatment plant or water diversion system.
Funding for the treatment plant or diversion system could include a sales tax increase, while the project itself carries an estimated price tag of up to $1 billion, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said earlier this year. It would address transboundary sewage and toxic waste flowing from the river into the Pacific Ocean at Imperial Beach.
Approved 4-1 on Tuesday, with Supervisor Joel Anderson in opposition, the county will allocate $1.8 million to fund the first of three phases. Phase 1 calls for an 18-month process where consultants will evaluate the project’s pathway, identify sites and land-rights requirements, map permits, cost estimates, outline financing options and engage stakeholders. County staff will then return to the board with the top options.
