The situation in the South Bay is a mess, a real mess.
The problem of sewage flowing into the Tijuana river and into the ocean seems to getting worse instead of better despite increased attention and state lawmakers and a California U.S. Senator demanding that the federal government finally do something about it.
So it’s not a surprise that the private company hired by the federal government to operate and maintain the wastewater treatment plant at the border is being sued by Imperial Beach homeowners for failing to fix things.
Just ask anyone who lives or works in Imperial Beach about the sewage, the smell and the sicknesses.
This mess has been going on not just for years but for decades.
And when Imperial Beach this month marked the 1,000th consecutive day of beaches being closed to swimmers and surfers, you know what hit the fan.
The lawsuit announced by residents of Imperial Beach seeks $300 million dollars in damages.
But determining the financial impact on property values and businesses and tourism losses is almost incalculable.
Over all these years, some have chosen to leave Imperial Beach and move elsewhere. Many others continue putting up with it and are now fighting harder than ever in demanding that something be done to fix the mess that should never have gotten so bad.
(Photo reporting partner 10News)