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A section the Tijuana River in south San Diego County with the U.S.-Mexico border in the background. A nonprofit\u2019s report lists the binational waterway as the ninth-most endangered river in America.<\/p>\n
Nelvin C. Cepeda<\/p>\n
San Diego Union-Tribune<\/p>\n
The State Water Resources Control Board announced Thursday it will grant nearly $50 million<\/a> in state funds to projects that address water contamination at the U.S.-Mexico border. Gov. Gavin Newsom touted it as an example of California\u2019s initiative in the face of the White House\u2019s \u201cfailing\u201d to maintain water quality infrastructure.<\/p>\n The Tijuana River Valley, which straddles the border, has been overrun for decades<\/a> by untreated wastewater and sewage, forcing border towns like Imperial Beach and Chula Vista to intermittently close its beaches due to pollution. The issue has become a political footbal<\/a>l between the U.S. and Mexican governments.<\/p>\n The International Boundary and Water Commission<\/a>, whose U.S. component is guided by the State Department, is responsible for maintaining the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment plant in San Ysidro to treat water that flows into the river on the U.S. side.<\/p>\n The commission has \u201cfallen far short,\u201d Newsom said in a press release Thursday.<\/p>\n The State Water Resources Control Board announced Thursday it will grant funding via Proposition 4<\/a>, a state bond that awards projects that reduce bacteria and trash, to address public health and environmental issues due to transnational pollution.<\/p>\n In 2024, voters approved Prop. 4, a $10 billion bond<\/a> that allows the state to fund projects tackling wildfires, clean energy and extreme heat; improving drinking water infrastructure; and shoring up flood and drought protections. The application process is open from Thursday, June 11 to Aug. 31.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople in San Diego County shouldn\u2019t have to worry about getting sick, losing access to their beaches and living with polluted air,\u201d Newsom said in a statement. \u201cCalifornia has stepped up repeatedly, but we can\u2019t solve a decades-long federal failure on our own. The Trump administration must do its part, honor its commitments, and finally deliver the lasting solutions this community deserves, and they have a moral obligation to provide.\u201d<\/p>\n IBWC U.S. Commissioner W.C. \u201cChad\u201d McIntosh, whom President Donald Trump appointed last year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Newsom\u2019s office said the state has allocated $38 million since 2019 on water improvement projects pertaining to the Tijuana River. It said it \u201cstands ready to assist the federal government as it fulfills its responsibility to address the crisis on the river.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
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