Community Corner
Heavy Rains Result in Closed Beaches
Sewage systems can't handle the rainfall and send contaminated water into the ocean.
Swimming and surfing was banned from Imperial Beach to the Mexico border Saturday due to the likelihood of sewage-contaminated storm runoff from the Tijuana River reaching north of the border.
Signs warning of contamination have been placed on the beach and the water-contact closure area stretches from the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge to Carnation Avenue on the north end of Imperial Beach, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health.
The rainfall has overwhelmed Tijuana's sewage system and sewage-laced runoff is flowing northwest into the Tijuana Estuary in the United States. Health officials said observations on Saturday showed ocean currents moving north, which could move contaminated water up to Imperial Beach.
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City News Service contributed to this report.
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