San Diego City Wire

A federal survey focusing on the Tijuana River Valley and South San Diego County received over 2,150 responses, surpassing its target of 2,000 participants. The Assessment of Chemical Exposures (ACE) survey aimed to understand the impact of pollution on local residents' lives.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will compile and share the results in the coming months. The survey gathered anecdotal accounts of changes in daily life, as well as physical and mental health impacts. This information will guide future actions to address the sewage crisis with collaboration from local, state, and federal partners.

Dr. Ankita Kadakia, County Interim Public Health Officer, stated: "The information from the survey is important to informing what needs to be done to address the sewage crisis. We are so grateful to everyone who took the time to share their stories. It’s clear that not only physical health but also mental health has been impacted by these ongoing sewage issues."

Launched on October 21st in partnership with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry—a federal public health agency within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the ACE survey followed a previous CDC initiative called CASPER. This household survey focused on Imperial Beach and Nestor communities during mid-October.

Efforts to promote participation included outreach at community events, social media engagement, newsletters, and partnerships with schools, businesses, health centers, and community organizations.

Further details about the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis can be found on the County's website. The site offers health information related to odors and water contamination along with reports showing trends in gastrointestinal illness and respiratory symptoms in South San Diego.

For those emotionally affected by this issue, mental health resources are accessible through the San Diego Access Crisis Line at 1-888-724-7240 or by dialing 988.