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Water line break on Mexican border causes 9.2 million gallons of wastewater to flow into US

Posted at 9:57 AM, Oct 23, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-23 09:57:55-04

SAN DIEGO — A water line break allowed more than 9.2 million gallons of treated and untreated wastewater to flow from Tijuana into the U.S. this week.

The transboundary flows were reported Monday night due to a break in the main water line from the La Presa-Aguaje la Tuna urban aqueduct at about 11 p.m. local time.

Mexico's International Boundary Water Commission (CILA) said the break produced flows that ended at the Tijuana River channel, causing a berm at a pump station to collapse and allow wastewater into the U.S. The flow in the Tijuana River exceeded the pump station's capacity.

The station continued to operate through the break, but was unable to divert all of the flow in the Tijuana River channel.

CILA said the flows were estimated at about 9,219,399 gallons of wastewater, including flows from the water line break, as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Crews began repairs on the line late Monday and completed the fix by 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to CILA.

This story was originally published by Mark Saunders on KGTV in San Diego.