Sewage again spills into Tijuana River Valley

By Mike Lee, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 2:05 p.m.

The sewage overflow in the Tijuana River Valley didn't reach as far west as the bridge at Dairy Mart Road, according to a federal report.

A second major sewage overflow in Tijuana since the start of June has sullied the Tijuana River Valley in southern San Diego County.

More than 2.7 million gallons of sewage-tainted water coursed through the dry river bed on July 7 and 8, according to state and federal reports.

The spill came just more than a month after more than 2.1 million gallons of sewage crossed the international border downstream at the base of a canyon known as Smuggler’s Gulch.

Both are among the largest wastewater accidents to affect San Diego County since 2000. Because both incidents started in Mexico, California regulators have little leverage to issue fines or cleanup orders like they typically would do if a local city caused the problem.

Officials at the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board said Tuesday they are considering how to handle both incidents together, likely in the form of a consultation or letter requesting details about the incidents in hopes of improving reporting protocol and upkeep of sewage facilities along the border.

Senior engineer Brian Kelley at the regional board said he’s seen numerous similar problems over the past three decades.

“It’s somewhat frustrating,â€