San Diego Schools Cancel Outdoor Activities as Air Quality Worsens in Tijuana River Valley

Several studies in the Tijuana River Valley have been put on hold as researchers detected high levels of hydrogen sulfide in the area, prompting nearby schools to suspend outdoor activities.

The researchers were investigating the extent of air and water contamination caused by the daily influx of raw sewage from Mexico.

This toxic gas is present in effluent, and an estimated 40-50 million gallons of sewage-contaminated water flow into the Tijuana River Valley from south of the border each day, as reported by the International Boundary and Water Commission.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Dr. Kim Prather, director of the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment at UC San Diego, wrote to members of a task force studying the affects of the sewage crisis, that she in good conscience could not “continue to put my own people at this level of risk.”

Prather reportedly stated that her team found hydrogen sulfide levels consistently and significantly exceeding state standards throughout the night and into the early morning hours on Friday.

As a result, she chose to evacuate researchers from both UC San Diego and San Diego State University from the Tijuana River Valley.

Border Report attempted to contact Prather for a response, but received no reply to their emails. Inhabitants of the valley, such as Elizabeth Bagnas, expressed understanding for the decision to relocate the scientists.

“If those were my family members I’d pull them out of here too, but for us residents over here we don’t have a choice,” Bagnas said. “It’s scary, we’re breathing this, and then we say, ‘Oh my God it stinks,’ the other night when it was really, really hot it was more than stinky, it was headache inducing.”

Bagnas and others reported that the odor in recent weeks had become intolerable.

The stench was particularly severe on Monday morning, prompting the South Bay School District to issue a notice to faculty, staff, and parents due to the proximity of several schools to the Tijuana River Valley.

“Due to the heat and high levels of toxins in the air from the Tijuana River Valley area and in an abundance of caution, we have issued a directive for all outdoor activities at all our schools to be limited on Monday, September 9. All physical education, recess and after-school activities will be moved indoors. Students will be instructed to remain indoors during lunch and all middle school sports will be cancelled,” wrote Amy Cooper, executive assistant to the superintendent and special projects.”

Bagnas and others reported that the odor in recent weeks had become intolerable. The stench was particularly severe on Monday morning, prompting the South Bay School District to issue a notice to faculty, staff, and parents due to the proximity of several schools to the Tijuana River Valley.

“For the kids, and maybe the elderly, when we tell them you have to stay indoors, and watch your health that should be a flag in itself,” Bagnas said. “There’s something that needs to be done, but just saying, ‘Hey don’t go outside today,’ what are we going to do about tomorrow or the day after?”

The congressional delegation from the San Diego area once again urged for an urgent federal or state of emergency declaration on Monday.

This comes after recent reports revealed alarming levels of harmful gases in south San Diego. Such a declaration by President Joe Biden or California Gov. Gavin Newsom would provide crucial funding and immediate assistance to address the ongoing sewage crisis in the Tijuana River Valley.

“We write to reiterate our request for a State of Emergency in light of new findings that alarming levels of noxious gas are emanating from the Tijuana River. Recent data has made it clear that these fumes are causing an immediate and serious threat to the health and safety of residents of South San Diego, and our community needs additional support,” wrote the lawmakers.

“Immediate action must be taken to respond to this imminent and serious threat to our communities from regular exposure to air and water toxins. A federal emergency declaration would help residents of south San Diego get access to the air purifiers and testing equipment that they need to protect themselves against this imminent threat,” the lawmakers continued. “The ongoing environmental disaster in San Diego’s South County warrants the same sense of urgency and immediate attention as any other natural or environmental disaster. Left unaddressed, a pollution crisis of this scale will continue to endanger our communities. As the delegation representing the San Diego region, we once again urge you to take action to address the ongoing crisis by proclaiming a State of Emergency.”