IBWC Chooses Ponds for Secondary Treatment at Border

The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission issued the following press release today regarding secondary treatment at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant:
For immediate release       December 8, 1999
DECISION ANNOUNCED FOR BORDER SEWAGE TREATMENT
The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) and the Environmental Protection Agency today released a Record of Decision (ROD) to move forward with construction of secondary treatment ponds adjacent to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP). The plant has been providing advanced primary treatment for sewage from Tijuana since April of 1998.
Under the ROD, the agencies will move forward with construction of the Completely Mixed Aerated (CMA) Pond System at the Hofer Site to provide secondary treatment for 25 million gallons a day at the SBIWTP.   The project covers 36 acres and features a total of six ponds, one control building, and related pump stations and distribution structures.
John M. Bernal, U.S. Section Commissioner of the IBWC, said, “Selection of a secondary treatment approach is a critical stage in fulfilling our obligations under international agreements in place with the Mexican government.”
The CMA Pond System at the Hofer Site was among seven reasonable alternatives fully considered in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. This alternative was selected for the following reasons:
Environmentally Preferred – Meets all secondary treatment standards and all California Ocean Plan requirements.
Buffering Capacity – Provides more reliable treatment because large holding volume provides a buffer to equalize spikes in contamination of the influent.
Land Use – Consistent with local land use designations
Sludge Quantity and Quality – Produces the least amount of sludge and provides the type of sludge quality required by Mexico, where the sludge will be disposed.
Cost Effectiveness – Lowest capital, operations, and maintenance costs to meet project objectives.
Timeliness – Can be implemented expeditiously.
Odor and Vector Controls – Odor and toxic emission controls conform with Clean Air Act and prevent nuisance odors under normal conditions; design prevents mosquito-breeding conditions.
In addition to the seven reasonable alternatives fully addressed in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, USIBWC and EPA considered another alternative, known as Bajagua, to build secondary treatment ponds in Mexico.   The ROD notes that the Bajagua project is not feasible for the following reasons:
Delays Secondary Treatment – Fails to meet the policy objective of providing secondary treatment in an expeditious manner – an objective heightened by threatened and pending lawsuits.
International Considerations – Current agreement with Mexico requires construction of secondary treatment in the United States.   Mexico would need to address a number of technical, legal, environmental, and socio-economic issues before agreeing to the proposal.
Financing Obstacles – Bajagua would be a sole-source contract and would require a 30-50 year fee-for-service agreement.   Such financial arrangements are not provided for in current federal law nor does a change in the law seem likely in the near future.
The USIBWC and EPA reached the decision to move forward with CMA Ponds following extensive public input and community outreach.   Some public comments outlined the need for a comprehensive master plan to address all issues relating to sewage treatment in the South Bay area. The USIBWC and the EPA support this approach and remain committed to working with agencies, organizations, and individuals in the future in developing a comprehensive master plan. As part of that, the USIBWC will continue consultations with Mexico regarding plans to handle future sewage flows.
Issuance of the ROD allows the agencies to advance design and implementation preparations. Once construction begins, the CMA Ponds could be operational within two years.

         For more information:
         Robert Ortega
         915-832-4118
         or
         Sally Spener
         915-832-4175

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