President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Mexico to address the millions of gallons of raw and untreated sewage water that flow into the United States, creating health hazards in nearby communities, according to officials.
"Mexico must take care of its water and sewage problem, IMMEDIATELY. It is a true threat to the people of Texas, California, and the United States of America!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
For years, sewage from border cities like Tijuana has seeped into the United States through the Tijuana River, with local leaders describing the issue as a health crisis.
Officials have said the sewage impacts the area's tourism - especially at local beaches - and the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, where Navy SEALs train.
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The crisis is blamed on Tijuana's outdated wastewater infrastructure, which has been strained by the area's skyrocketing population.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond has called the matter one of the worst environmental and public health crises in the country that no one is talking about.
"I'm glad to see the President finally address this decades-long crisis," he told Fox News Digital. "It's impacted our military readiness, threatened national security, and created an environmental disaster for Southern California - all while Mexico has faced little to no accountability."
"That must change," he added. "We need real enforcement, real consequences, and real action to protect our communities."
MEXICO TO DUMP MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF SEWAGE INTO TIJUANA RIVER, US CONTINUES TO BE A DUMPING GROUND: OFFICIAL
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C.
In July, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and his Mexican counterpart, Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that streamlines efforts by both governments to address the crisis.
In a Wednesday post on X, Zeldin said the Trump administration was taking action to end the "flow of disgusting raw sewage" from Mexico into the U.S.
"We are working very closely with our Mexican counterparts to ensure San Diego-area beaches can reopen, foul odors cease, and the Tijuana River Valley gets cleaned up as quickly as humanly possible," he wrote. "This will also be great for our Navy SEALs who train in the area."
"Nothing short of total implementation of the July 2025 MOU between the U.S. and Mexico will be acceptable," he added. "All of the Mexico-side projects slated for completion in 2026 and 2027 are absolutely critical to get done!"
The MOU designates millions of dollars for wastewater projects and maps out additional initiatives for Mexico to prepare for further population growth in Tijuana in the coming years.
Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed to this report.
