About Contaminated Water

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Page originally published 02/16/2024. Last updated 10/02/2024.

There has been a long history of cross-border flows containing untreated sewage, sediment, and trash entering the Tijuana River Valley. This impacts local recreation, damages sensitive habitat, threatens public health, and causes beach water contact closures.

• There have been more concerns in recent years about water quality in the Tijuana River Valley due to more frequent infrastructure failures and increased flows all year round.
• Trash and raw sewage flowing from the Tijuana River Valley into American waterways have been at elevated levels due to 2 years of near-record rainfall and infrastructure failures on both sides of the border.
• Learn more about what the County is doing to improve conditions.

On this page:

• Stay Safe from Sewage
• Safely Visit Oceans, Lakes, and Rivers
• Resources
  
• Educational Materials

Stay Safe from Sewage

Sewage is mainly water containing poop and pee (urine) along with toilet paper or wipes that flow through a sewer system or septic tank.

• Poop may contain harmful germs (bacteria and viruses), intestinal worms, and parasites.
• Sewage treatment reduces the water content and removes materials but does not kill or remove all of the germs, parasites, or worms.

Sewage can run out into the yard or land from:

• Wastewater backing up from underground sewer pipes.
• Septic tank buildup or heavy rains.

You can then be exposed to sewage if:

• You put your hands in or close to your mouth when eating, drinking, and smoking.
• You wipe your face with dirty hands or gloves.
• Sewage gets into cuts, scratches, or wounds (especially from a surgery or piercing).
• You walk in sewage that has run out onto the ground.

Symptoms

Sewage contains germs like bacteria and viruses, as well as parasites and worms, that can cause stomach and intestine or liver illness.

• Germs and parasites may cause diarrhea, fever, cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, weakness, or loss of appetite.
• Hepatitis A can cause liver disease; symptoms may include feeling tired, having pale poop, and having yellow eyes and skin.
• Roundworms cause coughing, trouble breathing, or pain in your belly and blocked intestines.
• Hookworms can cause a rash, stomach pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, tiredness, and anemia.

Since sewage can cause many different diseases related to bacteria, viruses, parasites, and worms, treatment may vary. Seek appropriate treatment from your healthcare provider if diagnosed with a bacterial or viral illness, parasite, or worm.

Stay Away from Areas with Visible Sewage Spills

• Do not allow children to play in areas where visible sewage is present.
• Use gloves, masks, and boots when cleaning or handling items contaminated with sewage.
• Disinfect all surfaces with a bleach solution.
• Wash clothes and fabrics that have come into contact with sewage separately in hot water.
• Wash hands well with water and soap.
• Do not touch your nose, mouth, eyes, or ears with your hands unless your hands have been washed.
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you are sick after being exposed to sewage.

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Safely Visit Oceans, Lakes, and Rivers

Water from natural bodies of water, like oceans, lakes, or rivers can have germs that make you sick if it is swallowed or gets into an open cut or wound.

• Germs found in the water and sand often come from human or animal poop.
• Germs can also be carried into swim areas by heavy rain.

Most bacteria and viruses are harmless and the presence of bacteria in sea spray aerosol does not automatically mean that microbes – pathogenic (able to cause disease) or otherwise – become airborne. 

• A recent study found that sea spray aerosol could transfer some chemical compounds and microorganisms from the ocean to the atmosphere but not intact bacteria. The study did not show if people could get sick from microorganisms in the aerosol.
• Additional studies are being conducted.

Symptoms

Symptoms from germs in oceans, lakes, or rivers are mainly watery diarrhea and vomiting.

• A person who is sick may also have headache, fever, muscle aches, and stomachache.
• Symptoms usually begin 1 to 2 days after infection, and lasts for 1 to 10 days, depending on what germs cause the illness.

Steps to Take If You Get Sick

People who get diarrhea and/or vomiting almost always get better without medical treatment and have no long-term health problems.

• Diarrhea and/or vomiting can cause dehydration and a loss of minerals (e.g., salt and potassium) if people who are sick can’t drink enough fluids to replace what they lose through diarrhea or vomiting.
• Infants, young children, older adults, people who are unable to care for themselves (such as those who are disabled), and persons with a weakened immune system are at risk for dehydration from loss of fluids.
• Some people may need to be treated by a medical provider or hospitalized for dehydration and/or loss of minerals.

Know Before You Go

• Check online to find out which beaches are closed, have health advisories, or are being monitored for water quality. This is especially important after a heavy rain.
• If your body’s ability to fight germs is already affected by other health problems or medicines, check with your healthcare provider before swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water.

When to stay out of the water:

• There are signs that say the area is closed. This may be due to high levels of germs in the water that make it unsafe for swimming.
• The water looks cloudier than usual, is discolored, or smells bad.
• You see any pipes draining into or around the water.
• You are sick with diarrhea. Germs in diarrhea can get in the water and make others sick if they swallow the contaminated water.
• You have an open cut or wound. Germs in the water can get into open cuts or wounds and cause infections.

Once you are in the area:

• Do not swallow the water. Water can contain germs that can make you sick if swallowed.
• Keep sand away from your mouth and children’s mouths. Sand can contain germs that can make you sick if swallowed.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before eating food, especially if you have been playing in or touching sand. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Do not swim, go into, or swallow contaminated water sources.

Stay out of floodwater.

• Floodwaters can contain hazards, such as downed power lines; human, livestock, and industrial hazardous waste; and other germs that may harm health.
• External exposure (e.g., touching the skin) may cause wound infections, skin rash, and tetanus.
• Internal exposure (e.g., swallowing, eating contaminated foods) may cause GI illnesses.
• If you must enter floodwater, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles.
• If you come into contact with floodwater, wash the area with soap and clean water as soon as possible, and wash contaminated clothes before wearing them again.

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Resources

Educational Materials

Sewage Safety | Español (Spanish) 

Sewage Exposure | Español (Spanish) 

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For more information, send an e-mail to the Epidemiology Unit.