Imperial Beach resident Josh Okerman was walking on the pier on Thursday morning. He said the odor from cross-border sewage has been bad the last few months.
“Mostly in the nights or early mornings, depending on the wind pattern,” he said. “You can definitely smell it. Smells like it's probably not good for you.”
Earlier this week, scientists studying that odor reported dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide in the area. A day later, San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas said the levels weren’t an imminent public health threat. On Wednesday, supervisors voted to continue a local emergency declaration over the sewage.
National City Councilmember Marcus Bush raised health concerns again Thursday. He said he felt the effects firsthand when he visited the area.
“I know because I know my body, and I know what my body was telling me,” he said. “My throat started burning after 30 minutes. It felt like acid reflux.”
County leaders are considering expanding a program that provided air purifiers to some households.
“But the filter isn't the end-all, be-all,” Bush said. “At the end of the day, we need to solve the root cause of the crisis, which is the sewage.”
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of Congress members requested additional disaster funds to repair and upgrade the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
They wrote that years of underinvestment have reduced the plant’s capacity. They’re asking for the “highest amount of funding possible” in any upcoming disaster supplemental package.
Those signing the letter include California’s senators; San Diego Democratic Reps. Scott Peters, Juan Vargas, Sara Jacobs and Mike Levin; Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Wisconsin Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
Okerman said his community is ready for change.
“I don't know what the state sees. I don't know what the federal government sees. They probably think of it as just some small little aspect that's not their problem,” he said. “But ultimately, we’ve got a community here that's at risk of unknown air pollutants and chemicals that are harming the body.”
