Imperial County Supervisors Support Calexico Wastewater Plant Expansion

-Editorial 

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 25 to support Calexico’s application for state funding to upgrade and expand its wastewater treatment plant.

The board authorized Chairwoman Peggy Price to sign a letter supporting the city’s application to the Proposition 4 U.S.-Mexico Border Funding Program.

The $50 million project would modernize aging infrastructure, improve treatment reliability and expand capacity. Calexico has committed $25 million through its Capital Improvement Program.

The county asked the State Water Resources Control Board to select Calexico’s project as the New River basin project for Proposition 4 funding and to consider exceeding the program’s $10 million grant cap.

The program provides $46.151 million for water-related projects in the New River and Tijuana River basins, with at least one project required from each basin.

The New River enters the United States at Calexico after flowing through Mexicali. About 60 million gallons flow into the United States daily, carrying pollutants including fecal coliform, ammonia, biochemical oxygen demand, arsenic, and selenium.

The plant expansion would increase the amount of wastewater Calexico can treat before discharge, help meet growing demand and reduce compliance risks. It could also benefit downstream communities, agriculture and habitat.

The county’s support comes as federal officials consider deauthorizing previously approved New River and Imperial County environmental infrastructure projects.

U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam B. Schiff and Rep. Raul Ruiz urged Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle to keep the projects authorized, citing continued local support and the New River’s public health and environmental impacts.

Their letter cited reported headaches, respiratory symptoms, skin rashes, blurred vision, and flu-like symptoms among people exposed to conditions near the river. It also noted hydrogen sulfide detections, high childhood asthma-related emergency department visit rates, and extreme summer temperatures that can worsen conditions.

The lawmakers said deauthorizing the projects could undermine growing federal attention to cross-border water-quality problems. They urged the Army Corps of Engineers to consult with local officials and affected stakeholders before making a decision.

The county’s support letter noted that federal funding has largely favored the Tijuana River watershed. In 2020, Congress appropriated $300 million for border wastewater infrastructure, all of which the Environmental Protection Agency dedicated to the Tijuana River watershed.

By comparison, the largest binational construction investment in the New River was $1.2 million in 1987, shared equally by the United States and Mexico.

The county also highlighted the economic and environmental conditions surrounding Calexico’s plant. The area has a median household income of $47,600, ranks in the 94.70th percentile under CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and is designated a disadvantaged community under Senate Bill 535.

In related action, the Board of Supervisors approved submission of a Proposition 4 U.S.-Mexico Border Funding Program grant application for up to $750,000 to support planning and research related to New River water quality. The Board also authorized the County Executive Officer, or designee, to serve as the authorized representative and execute the funding agreement and any amendments, subject to County Counsel approval. The grant would provide funding over 24 months, with approximately $40,000 in in-kind County staff time serving as the local match.