The State - News from May 13, 1988

San Diego and federal officials Thursday claimed victory in their long effort to protect border regions from millions of gallons of raw Tijuana sewage when a key House subcommittee agreed to appropriate $27 million toward construction of a “defensive sewer system” in south San Diego. U.S. Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego) predicted that the appropriation will meet no opposition as it proceeds through House and Senate committees, the full Congress and on to President Reagan’s office. Once constructed, probably by July, 1990, the huge pipe and collector system will gather the 10- to 12-million gallons of “renegade” sewage that cascades downhill from Tijuana every day and return it to the other side of the border. Users of San Diego’s sewage treatment system will contribute $9.7 million toward the project. The system’s exact design has yet to be settled.