Launching the County of San Diego’s Tijuana River Capture and Cleanup Initiative (Districts: All)

The County of San Diego is initiating Phase 1 of the Tijuana River Capture and Cleanup Initiative, located at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant within the Tijuana River Valley. This phase focuses on the administrative and organizational foundations necessary to develop a future treatment and capture system on the U.S. side of the river. The project involves the allocation and transfer of 1,800,000 dollars to support project evaluation and development. Key activities include amending and utilizing existing Department of Public Works consultant contracts to provide capacity for engineering analyses, alternatives development, and pre-design work, as well as coordinating with partner agencies on preliminary planning, permitting pathways, and environmental reviews. The primary objective of this phase is to produce a feasibility and planning study to guide future actions. This activity is classified under NAICS code 541330 and was approved on September 1, 2026. The project is exempt from CEQA review under Statutory Exemption Section 15262, as the current scope is limited to informational feasibility and planning studies. Administrative oversight is managed by the County of San Diego, with Lyle Pavuk serving as the primary point of contact.