In the News: Borders are dangerous on both sides..for humans and the earth.

In a NY Times article this week, the toxic issues facing the CA-Mexico border near Calexico are brought to light. This well know issue of contaminated sewage being dumped into the New River that flows from Mexico's Mexicali valley into the Imperial County's Calexico is a "Pit of Infection". The levels of e.coli and many other communicable diseases are shockingly high. Raw sewage, large industrial waste and illegal dumping by the city of Mexicali into the river have led to "extreme pollution" and "noxious fumes" that do not stop at the border. Communities on both sides are affected by this toxic river. Rates of asthma, allergies and GI illness are higher than other reports across the Imperial county. The groundwater pollution is also noted to be a hazard to the large agricultural business in the region. Since 2007 the EPA has known of the pollutants at this border. Nearly $50 million dollars has been allocated to various projects proposed to address this serious breakdown of infrastructure from the Mexican water and sewage management. Unfortunately, very little has changed and large population growth on the Mexicali side has added to the problem. Residents are now asking for more attention to focus on the negative health affects, and to create a sustainable solution for both sides of this border. This is truly a situation needing an UPSTREAM solution!

Comments

  1. Angie RenteriaFebruary 17, 2019 at 9:31 PM

    I can't imagine what if must feel like, living next to a border. There is so much that happens yet so little that can be done because we are dealing with an other country. How was the proposed $50 million dollars to be used to address this problem? What can be done to clean the water, if Mexico would continue to dump into it?

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