While we continue to work with our Mexican counterparts to address the causes of the pollution
Continue working with Mexican counterparts to address the causes of Tijuana River Valley pollution.
Occurrences
Evidence
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The official House homepage listed: “Reps. Vargas, Peters, Levin, Jacobs Call on SBA for Support for Local Businesses Impacted by Tijuana River Pollution,” saying Vargas and colleagues called on SBA to provide continued support for small businesses impacted by pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
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AP reported that since 2018 more than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage, industrial chemicals, and trash have entered the Tijuana River; the United States and Mexico signed an agreement in 2025 to upgrade wastewater plants, but officials said a full fix would take years and more federal support was needed.
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Vargas announced he was leading a FY2027 request for $100 million for the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program, which can fund projects to combat cross-border pollution including the Tijuana River Valley; his office said the San Diego delegation had secured over $650 million for pollution response and South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades.
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IBWC lists Minute 333, signed in Tijuana and approved by both the United States and Mexico on December 15, 2025, as “Comprehensive actions to address the border sanitation problem at San Diego, California - Tijuana, Baja California.”
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USIBWC said the South Bay plant expansion would double capacity, was aimed at drastically reducing transboundary sewage flows from Baja California, and would work with Mexico’s sanitation improvements under Minute 328 to eliminate up to 90% of untreated wastewater reaching the coast. The release quoted Vargas saying the San Diego delegation secured $400 million and would continue addressing Tijuana River Valley sewage pollution using all available avenues.
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USIBWC awarded the design and construction contract for rehabilitation and expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, describing the project as consistent with Minute 328 and intended, together with wastewater infrastructure improvements in Mexico, to eliminate up to 90% of untreated wastewater reaching the coast.
Assessments
The promise was to continue working with Mexican counterparts on the causes of Tijuana River Valley pollution, not to fully eliminate the pollution. During Vargas's current federal term, evidence shows continued official action: he led a FY2027 funding request for the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program, helped secure major federal funding for South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades, and publicly tied that work to binational wastewater improvements under IBWC agreements. IBWC actions in 2024-2025, including Minute 333 and plant rehabilitation/expansion, show ongoing U.S.-Mexico cooperation on the underlying sanitation causes. The pollution remains a long-term unresolved problem, but the specific commitment to continue working with Mexican counterparts was fulfilled in the same term.