Report on Transboundary Water Pollution and Infrastructure in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report examines the persistent environmental and public health crisis stemming from the Tijuana River, where untreated sewage flows from Mexico into the United States. It analyzes a recent bilateral agreement between the two nations aimed at resolving this issue through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The crisis highlights critical challenges related to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The report also contextualizes this specific case within the broader national challenge of aging and climate-vulnerable wastewater infrastructure.

The Tijuana River Crisis: A Failure to Meet Core SDGs

Background of the Environmental Challenge

The Tijuana River represents a significant environmental challenge, discharging millions of gallons of untreated sewage daily. This long-standing issue directly contravenes several Sustainable Development Goals.

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The continuous flow of untreated wastewater signifies a critical failure in sanitation infrastructure, directly impacting water quality for communities in both Tijuana and San Diego.
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water): The discharge pollutes marine environments, threatening coastal ecosystems and contravening the goal to reduce marine pollution from land-based activities.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked the contaminated water to increased rates of gastrointestinal illnesses and other public health problems in local communities, undermining efforts to reduce illnesses from water pollution.

Infrastructure Deficiencies and Climate Change Impacts

The crisis is exacerbated by deteriorating infrastructure and the growing threat of climate change, impacting the resilience of urban areas as outlined in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Deteriorated Facilities: Both the San Antonio de los Buenos plant in Mexico and the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego are overutilized and underfunded, rendering them incapable of managing the wastewater volume.
2. Climate Action (SDG 13): The problem is intensified by climate-related events. Heavy rainfall and atmospheric rivers, which are becoming more frequent, overwhelm the system, leading to massive sewage overflows and highlighting a lack of adaptive capacity to climate hazards.

A Bilateral Agreement to Advance the 2030 Agenda

Fostering Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

In a significant step toward international cooperation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Mexico’s Secretariat of the Environment and National Resources have signed a new agreement. This action directly supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by mobilizing financial resources and enhancing collaboration to address a shared environmental challenge.

Key Commitments of the Agreement

• Mexico’s Contribution: Mexico has committed $93 million toward sanitation infrastructure projects, with a completion deadline of December 31, 2027.
• U.S. Contribution: The United States has pledged to release previously withheld funds to rehabilitate critical pump stations and collection pipes that contribute to sewage treatment.

While this agreement is a positive development, local officials remain cautious, emphasizing the urgent need for tangible progress to alleviate the ongoing suffering in affected communities and achieve the targets set by the SDGs.

Widespread Wastewater Infrastructure Challenges and SDG Implications

A National Issue of Urban Sustainability (SDG 11)

The Tijuana River case is emblematic of a wider problem across the United States, where approximately 700 communities operate with outdated combined sewer systems. These systems, which mix stormwater and wastewater, frequently overflow during heavy precipitation. This systemic issue poses a direct threat to achieving SDG 6 and SDG 11, as it leads to the discharge of untreated effluent into the environment, spreading disease and causing ecological damage like harmful algal blooms.

Climate Adaptation and Infrastructure Resilience (SDG 13)

Coastal cities face a compounded threat from climate change, where sea-level rise and increased precipitation create a “double whammy” for wastewater systems. In response, cities are pursuing strategies to enhance resilience and adapt to climate change, in line with SDG 13.1.

• Green and Gray Infrastructure: New York City is implementing solutions such as stormwater retention tanks and green roofs to absorb excess rain.
• Physical Adaptation: Boston has elevated portions of its Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant to protect it from flooding and pipe corrosion caused by sea-level rise.

These initiatives demonstrate a growing recognition that significant investment and innovative planning are required to build resilient infrastructure capable of protecting public health and the environment in a changing climate, thereby ensuring progress toward a sustainable future.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

The article on the Tijuana River sewage crisis and broader wastewater issues touches upon several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis highlights challenges and solutions related to environmental protection, public health, infrastructure, climate resilience, and international cooperation.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  This is the most central SDG in the article. The entire piece revolves around the problem of “untreated sewage” and the failure of wastewater treatment infrastructure. The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico aims to “address and solve the decades-long Tijuana River sewage crisis” through major updates to wastewater treatment plants, directly aligning with the goal of ensuring available and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article explicitly connects the sewage problem to public health. It notes that the crisis poses a “major… public health issue” and that communities in San Diego have reported “high levels of gastrointestinal illnesses and other health problems” attributable to the contaminated water, as confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Addressing the pollution is crucial for ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The issues are framed within an urban context, affecting communities in Tijuana, San Diego, New York City, and Camden. The article discusses “aging infrastructure,” the need for cities to “update their infrastructure,” and the implementation of “green and gray infrastructure plans” to make urban areas more resilient. This directly relates to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article establishes a clear link between the wastewater crisis and climate change. It states that “climate-fueled flooding triggers sewage overflows” and that “sea-level rise poses a dual threat to outdated infrastructure.” The mention of “atmospheric rivers” and intensifying storms highlights the need to build resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards, which is the core of SDG 13.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  The environmental impact on marine ecosystems is a key concern. The article states that millions of gallons of untreated sewage from the Tijuana River “ends up in the ocean.” This effluent can “trigger harmful algal blooms and kill local plants or coral,” which is a direct reference to the kind of land-based pollution that SDG 14 aims to prevent and reduce.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The primary solution presented in the article is a bilateral agreement between the United States and Mexico. The signing of the agreement by the U.S. EPA Administrator and Mexico’s Secretary of the Environment, along with mutual financial commitments, exemplifies the international cooperation necessary to achieve sustainable development. The article notes the agreement “strengthens collaboration to address environmental and health challenges along the Northern border.”

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified.

1. Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and halving the proportion of untreated wastewater.

   The article is centered on this target. The core problem is the daily flow of “millions of gallons of untreated sewage.” The U.S.-Mexico agreement aims for a “permanent 100% solution to this longstanding issue” by updating wastewater treatment plants, which directly addresses the goal of reducing the proportion of untreated wastewater.

2. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

   The article’s mention of “high levels of gastrointestinal illnesses and other health problems” in San Diego communities due to the sewage-laden water directly relates to this target. The efforts to clean the river are aimed at reducing these health impacts from water pollution.

3. Target 14.1: By 2030, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities.

   The sewage from the Tijuana River, which “ends up in the ocean,” is a clear example of land-based marine pollution. The article also mentions that such effluent can “trigger harmful algal blooms and kill local plants or coral,” which are specific impacts this target seeks to prevent.

4. Target 6.a: Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities.

   The agreement where the U.S. pledged to “release once-withheld funds to Mexico to rehabilitate a pump station and collection pipes” and Mexico committed its own funds is a direct example of international cooperation and financial support for sanitation infrastructure, as called for in this target.

5. Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of people affected by water-related disasters.

   The article explains that the problem is “especially bad during heavy rainfall events such as the atmospheric rivers” and that “climate-fueled flooding triggers sewage overflows.” By upgrading infrastructure to handle these events, the project aims to reduce the impact of these water-related disasters on communities.

6. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.

   The article highlights that cities are scrambling to update infrastructure as storms intensify due to climate change. Actions like Boston “raising parts of the city’s Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant to avoid flooding from sea level rise” are direct measures to strengthen resilience and adapt to climate-related hazards.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to track progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Target 6.3 (Proportion of wastewater safely treated):

  The article states that “millions of gallons of untreated sewage” are released daily. A key indicator of progress would be the reduction in this volume. The ultimate goal is a “permanent 100% solution,” implying the indicator is the percentage of wastewater that is successfully treated before discharge.

• Indicator for Target 3.9 (Illnesses from unsafe water):

  The article points to reports of “high levels of gastrointestinal illnesses” in local communities. A reduction in the incidence of these water-borne diseases, tracked by local and national health agencies like the CDC, would serve as a direct indicator of improved public health.

• Indicator for Target 14.1 (Marine pollution):

  The article mentions that waterways in Camden, New Jersey, “often contain fecal bacteria levels unsafe for swimming, fishing or kayaking.” Monitoring and reducing the levels of fecal bacteria and other contaminants in the Tijuana River and the coastal waters of San Diego would be a specific, measurable indicator of reduced marine pollution.

• Indicator for Target 6.a (International cooperation):

  The financial commitments are a clear indicator. The article specifies that “Mexico will allocate $93 million toward sanitation infrastructure” and that the U.S. will release previously withheld funds. The disbursement and effective use of these funds are measurable indicators of the partnership’s progress.

• Indicator for Infrastructure and Resilience (Targets 11.5 & 13.1):

  The completion of infrastructure projects is a key indicator. The agreement sets a specific deadline: Mexico is to “complete all projects by Dec. 31, 2027.” Meeting this deadline and verifying the increased capacity and resilience of the new and updated treatment plants would be a primary measure of success.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: insideclimatenews.org