Summary

Over the past 30 years, Tijuana has experienced tremendous population and industrial growth. This has strained the city’s infrastructure. The Mexican government estimates Tijuana’s population of 1.6 million is now growing at approximately 2.5% per year. Tijuana is home to thousands of squatters who do not hold legal land titles, many of whom come from outside the state and likely do not figure in official population statistics. Population growth has exacerbated poorly-enforced building codes, accelerated erosion, and illicit disposal of trash in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of the city, contributing to one of Tijuana’s most difficult problems: wastewater management. The combination of homes lacking access to wastewater treatment and outdated sanitation infrastructure has led to substantial sewage spills affecting communities on both sides of the border. The Tijuana River watershed therefore presents a complex transboundary challenge.

Goals

This project aims to support and investigate the mitigation of waste in the Tijuana River watershed by expanding data creation and sharing.

Lead Partner

Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC)

Supporting Partners

• San Diego State University
• Coordinación Estatal de Protección Civil de Baja California

Map Layers