Five years after the initial promise, officials in the U.S. and Mexico are finally beginning construction on a key piece of infrastructure designed to keep sewage out of the Tijuana River.
That piece of infrastructure is a pump station known as PB-1. Baja California’s secretary of water called it “the heart of our wastewater system,” but it hasn’t been doing well for a while.
Our MacKenzie Elmer first wrote about plans to repair the pump station in 2021, but there’s been little progress since.
When it’s working, PB-1 is supposed to send sewage water to a treatment plant in Mexico and another in the U.S. But when it’s not working, it allows sewage to spill over into the Tijuana river, contaminating the water.
Officials on Monday announced they had finally selected a contracting firm, as well as an engineering and construction firm, to fix the ailing pump station. Unfortunately, it’s not the only piece of equipment in the Tijuana River sewage system that needs repairs.
County Will Pay Subcontractors Hit by Scandal
Weeks ago, our Lisa Halverstadt highlighted another set of victims in the criminal misappropriation scandal surrounding a former county contractor: nonprofit contract partners and workers who went months without pay.
The county announced Monday it will pay six former subcontractors of the Harm Reduction Coalition nearly $150,000. It had previously directed those subcontractors struggling with unpaid bills to work out a deal with the troubled nonprofit. The Harm Reduction Coalition’s ex-finance chief is accused of spending county money on everything from plastic surgeries to purebred dogs.
Halverstadt reports that the county has since decided to send money to those subcontractors “given the unique circumstances.”
In Other News
- A statewide voter ID initiative received enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, the secretary of state’s office confirmed. The initiative would require voters to present government-issued identification at the polls or provide identifying information when voting by mail. (NBC 7)
- Last month, San Diego residents planned a huge work-from-the-beach meet up last month in Pacific Beach. City officials are now saying any future meet ups like that one will need special event permits. (Times of San Diego)
- Related: Remember when Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said he wanted the city to stop killing free fun?
- San Diego County is the fifth most expensive place to own a home out of the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S., according to a new study by University of San Diego’s real estate school. (Union-Tribune)
- Have questions about how to vote, where to vote, mail-in ballots and more in the 2026 Primary Election? KPBS has answers. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Tigist Layne and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.