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-Editorial
In a joint effort to promote a healthier environment for the Cali-Baja region’s current and future generations, Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda and California Governor Gavin Newsom inspected the progress on the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant. This binational initiative aims to prevent polluting discharges into the ocean.
During the visit, Avila emphasized that water management is a priority for both governments. With support from former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the federal government invested 600 million pesos in this critical project, which is being implemented by the Mexican Army (Sedena). “Due to the significance of this project, I approached President López Obrador for funding, and he agreed to allocate federal resources. Sedena’s involvement accelerates the process, bypassing lengthy bidding and procurement procedures while ensuring swift work,” said the governor.
She also acknowledged President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s commitment to addressing this longstanding binational issue. Since 2015, the treatment plant has been out of service, but its timely rehabilitation will ensure compliance with national water discharge standards and binational agreements.
Avila explained that if the project had gone through traditional bidding, it would take at least two years to complete. Sedena’s direct management will expedite the plant’s operation in a matter of months.
Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his appreciation for the project’s progress and reaffirmed his commitment to working together to improve the environmental quality of the border regions.
Victor Amador Barragán, Secretary of Water Management, Sanitation, and Protection, added that once rehabilitated, the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant, located near Punta Bandera, will have the capacity to treat and reuse up to 800 liters per second.