If approved, funds would be enough to completely fix and upgrade broken wastewater treatment plant

Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50) and Veronica Escobar (TX-16) led a bipartisan request with eight of their colleagues for $278 million for the International Boundary and Water Commission’s (IBWC) construction budget in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 25) Appropriations bill. This represents a $200 million increase over the President's request and is in addition to the $156 million Rep. Peters already secured in the FY 24 appropriations bill. The IBWC is the federal agency tasked with operating and maintaining the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP), which has fallen into disrepair and is at the center of the cross-border sewage crisis on the American side of the border.

The members also requested language to allow other federal agencies and non-federal entities, such as state and local governments and non-profit organizations, to transfer money to the IBWC and $89.3 million for the IBWC’s Salaries and Expenses account, which is a $20 million increase over the President’s request. The total funding request, if enacted, would be enough for IBWC to fix and upgrade SBIWTP to treat 50 million gallons of wastewater per day. This will significantly reduce the amount of pollution reaching San Diego beaches, and in combination with actions taken by Mexico, will decrease the number of days beaches are closed and the toxic fumes that people in San Diego, Imperial Beach, and elsewhere breathe.

In their letter, the members write, “Although there was a significant increase in funding for FY24 from Fiscal Year 2023, the IBWC continues to face obstacles as it seeks to fully carry out its mission. These obstacles include outdated construction equipment, sediment buildup, a need for new levees, ongoing drought, and much more. It also faces an inadequate baseline of funding for staffing and support.”

Speaking about the dilapidated wastewater treatment plant, they state, “It also carries a large maintenance backlog for many of its existing assets. In fact, one of its facilities, the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, has for years failed to even meet federal Clean Water Act standards. That plant must be brought back into compliance.”

The letter was also signed by Representatives Juan Vargas (CA-52), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Mike Levin (CA-49), Dan Crenshaw (TX-2), Richard Hudson (NC-8), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Derrick Van Orden (WI-3), and Katie Porter (CA-45).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, Chairman Diaz-Balart, and Ranking Member Lee,

As you continue to craft the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOP) Appropriations bill, we write to express our support for significantly increasing funding for the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC).

We would like to thank the committee for steadily increasing funding for the IBWC over the last several years. IBWC is a unique federal agency because its official duties support resource and infrastructure management along the U.S.-Mexico border, but it is funded by the State Department which has a unique mission to advance U.S. interests abroad. Historically, the IBWC has been underfunded despite it having an extensive infrastructure portfolio. Critical facilities in the IBWC’s portfolio include diversion dams and levee systems in El Paso, Texas, a storage dam and power plant in Falcon Heights, Texas, the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Ysidro, California, similar water treatment infrastructure in Nogales, Arizona, and more.

Although there was a significant increase in funding for FY24 from Fiscal Year 2023, the IBWC continues to face obstacles as it seeks to fully carry out its mission. These obstacles include outdated construction equipment, sediment buildup, a need for new levees, ongoing drought, and much more. It also faces an inadequate baseline of funding for staffing and support. It also carries a large maintenance backlog for many of its existing assets. In fact, one of its facilities, the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant— has for years failed to even meet federal Clean Water Act standards. That plant must be brought back into compliance.

Furthermore, the ability of farmers along the U.S.-Mexico border to provide predictable and reliable product deliveries is challenged by water shortages that limit their ability to plant, harvest, and supply food to our

countries. Communities that depend on the Rio Grande are some of the most disadvantaged communities in the country and are home to a range of growers and producers that are integral to our nation’s food supply systems. More funding for the IBWC will equip our farmers and producers with the ability to negotiate more reliable terms for water deliveries that incentivize Mexico to deliver annually throughout the 5-year period and ensure we have the water we need to put food on the table.

That is why we urge you to prioritize an additional increase of $20 million for the Salary & Expenses account and an increase of $200 million for the Construction account, which is above the President’s FY 2025 budget request. This vital investment will continue to help the IBWC keep pace with its maintenance backlog while also giving it the ability to focus on projects like levee construction and drought mitigation across the border states. Lastly, the committee will continue to play a critical role in improving the border region’s water infrastructure.

Thank you for your consideration of our request and we look forward to working with you to deliver a FY25 appropriations package that provides significant investments in border communities.

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