Pipeline Rupture Sends 36,000 Gallons of Wastewater Near Tijuana River

A pipeline carrying wastewater from Tijuana to a treatment facility in San Diego ruptured Tuesday morning, sending about 36,000 gallons of sewage through Stewart’s Drain near the U.S.-Mexico border south of San Ysidro.

The U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission says the rupture happened around 5 a.m. during work on infrastructure connected to Junction Box 1. Crews quickly deployed portable pumps and vacuum trucks to capture the wastewater before it could reach the Tijuana River channel.

Officials say the transboundary flow stopped by 6:30 a.m., the damaged pipeline was repaired by about 9 a.m., and cleanup operations wrapped up roughly an hour later. Authorities report the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant was not impacted.

Despite the quick response, the incident has renewed concerns among nearby residents about ongoing pollution issues tied to cross-border wastewater flows. Some community members say repeated sewage problems raise health worries, including the spread of pathogens and contamination carried by animals or tracked into homes.

Officials say backup pumps had been placed in Stewart’s Drain to manage potential flows, but the volume from the rupture and other incoming wastewater temporarily overwhelmed the system. Contractors and response crews were able to prevent sewage from entering the Tijuana River itself.

The rupture occurred as part of ongoing rehabilitation work on the wastewater infrastructure that carries sewage from Tijuana to treatment facilities in the United States.

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