This Edition: Pollution at the Beaches

Here’s what you need to know

Hey There!

Bet you thought we were gone for good? To be honest, we were thinking the same thing! But then an idea sprouted, and we're going for it, starting with this week's edition.

We're not sure if this will be a weekly newsletter yet, but that's what we're aiming for.

We want each edition to concentrate on one story. This could be about food, drink, places to visit or stay, or even stories that affect living in and visiting California.

This newsletter was always an avenue for us to get information to people who live here, want to live here, or are thinking of leaving, and to show them why this state is the place to be, even with some faults.

There are worse states out there right now, and California seems to us to be one of the shining stars in our world.

So, we'll be covering everything we mentioned above without taking sides. We don't want the stories we report to be an argument; they're meant to inform you so you can make your own decisions.

P.S. Just so you know I will be using AI to get a deeper dive into what is bring done as well as to what can be done to help with pollution at the beaches.

Thanks for hanging in there with us during our decisions on where to go with Your Golden State Spotlight!

Along the Coast in San Diego and North

Pollution is now just a California thing. It’s on an East Coast from Florida up to Cape Cod and further north, although I haven’t surfed any further north than Cape Cod.

As for the south, it’s all along the coast in Florida, especially during hurricane season as well as along what Gulf Coast from the west side of Florida all the way to Texas.

We just can’t seem to get a handle on the different types of pollution that we deal with on a daily and yearly basis.

Sometimes like in the case of this story about San Diego there are circumstances that far and above the normal types of pollution which is more riskier to your health than others.

Today’s story by Madilynne Medina, News Reports for SF Gate puts the issue in San Diego into perspective for you to understand.

From the story:

“Now you can even see how massive it is from space," she said. "I just question how much more is needed before these people are protected from being exposed to these horrible levels of both water and air pollution.”

“We now have to accept that it's not just in the water," Prather said. "That is just going to, you know, scale up the number of people that are impacted by the bacteria, the viruses, but also the trace toxic gasses that we know are getting out.”

Read More Here

Plus I also have added what Gemini AI had to say in a deeper dive on the pollution in San Diego and what can be done to help curb it sone.

Let’s see what Gemini AI has to say:

The pollution in San Diego beaches, particularly those closest to the U.S.-Mexico border, is a severe and persistent problem largely driven by transboundary flows from the Tijuana River in Mexico. This issue has garnered significant attention and is considered a major environmental and public health crisis for the region.

Here's a breakdown of the situation:

The Core Problem: Tijuana River Pollution

* Untreated Sewage and Waste: The Tijuana River, which originates in Baja California, Mexico, flows across the border into the United States and discharges millions of gallons of wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. This wastewater often includes raw sewage, industrial waste, stormwater runoff, and trash.

* Overwhelmed Infrastructure: Mexico's wastewater treatment infrastructure is often inadequate and prone to failures, especially during heavy rainfall. This leads to massive overflows of untreated or partially treated sewage directly into the Tijuana River, which then flows into U.S. waters. The South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant on the U.S. side also struggles with the sheer volume of flow.

* Chronic Problem: This isn't a new issue; it's been ongoing for decades, with repeated incidents and infrastructure breakdowns contributing to its severity. The problem has worsened in recent years due to deteriorating infrastructure and more intense storms driven by climate change.

Impact on San Diego Beaches:

* Frequent and Extended Beach Closures: Beaches in southern San Diego County, particularly Imperial Beach, Coronado, and Border Field State Park, are routinely closed to water contact due to dangerously high levels of fecal bacteria and other pollutants. Imperial Beach's public beach has been closed for over 1,000 consecutive days in recent times.

* Public Health Risks: Swimming or even contact with the ocean spray in these areas poses significant health risks. People exposed to the polluted water can experience gastrointestinal illnesses, skin rashes, ear infections, and respiratory issues. There's also growing concern about airborne pollutants from the wastewater, including hydrogen sulfide, which can cause respiratory problems and other ailments for residents in affected areas.

* Environmental Devastation:

* Marine Life: Untreated sewage introduces high levels of nutrients, bacteria, and toxins into the marine environment, leading to harmful algal blooms ("red tides") that deplete oxygen and create "dead zones," causing massive die-offs of fish and other marine organisms.

* Habitat Degradation: The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, a critical ecological site, is severely impacted by the pollution, threatening valuable coastal and marine habitats.

* Trash Accumulation: Large amounts of trash and debris also flow across the border, littering beaches and harming marine life through entanglement and ingestion.

* Economic Impact: The frequent beach closures negatively impact tourism, local businesses, and property values in affected communities.

Efforts and Challenges:

* Binational Efforts: Both the U.S. and Mexico are involved in efforts to address the problem, but progress has been slow and complex due to funding challenges, political will, and the sheer scale of the infrastructure needed.

* Funding and Projects: The U.S. Congress has allocated significant funds (e.g., $653 million) for expanding and repairing the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. Mexico has also pledged funds, though the follow-through has been inconsistent.

* Monitoring and Advocacy: Organizations like San Diego Coastkeeper and Surfrider Foundation, along with local government officials, continue to monitor water quality, advocate for solutions, and raise public awareness about the crisis. New technologies, such as NASA's EMIT instrument, are even being used to map wastewater plumes from space.

* Ongoing Struggle: Despite these efforts, the problem remains acute, and communities in southern San Diego County continue to bear the brunt of this transboundary pollution crisis.

In essence, while San Diego has many beautiful beaches, those immediately north of the Mexican border are consistently among the most polluted in the United States due to the ongoing issue of untreated sewage and waste flowing from the Tijuana River. It's a critical environmental and public health concern that requires sustained binational effort to resolve.

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