Sewage Contamination Closes Beaches in Imperial Beach, Coronado

SAN DIEGO, CA: The entire shoreline of Imperial Beach, north through the Silver Strand and all the way to Coronado shores have been closed to human contact by county health officials because of sewage contamination flowing north from the Tijuana River.

The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Saturday afternoon expanded the existing water contact closure area at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge shoreline north to include all shoreline from the International Border, north to North Beach in Coronado, including Coronado Municipal Beach and Silver Strand State Beach.

Sewage-contaminated runoff in the Tijuana River has been entering the Tijuana Estuary as a result of recent rainfall and was still flowing. Observations Saturday indicated northward moving ocean currents and contamination of ocean water at Silver Strand thru Coronado is suspected, according to DEH.

Signs warning of sewage contaminated water will remain in place until field measurements indicate the ocean water is safe for recreational use.

City News Service

(Photo via Tony Webster/Flickr)