Background

The Tijuana water utility, CESPT, is responsible for providing water and wastewater services to the municipality of Playas de Rosarito. In 2010, service coverage in the municipality was estimated to be 89% for water and 80% for wastewater collection. All of the wastewater collected is treated either at the Rosarito Norte or Rosarito I Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP).

As part of its master plan to extend wastewater collection and treatment services to 100% of the city’s population and achieve zero discharges of untreated sewage into rivers and streams, CESPT proposes extending wastewater services to the area of Ejido Plan Libertador and Ampliación Ejido Plan Libertador, on the east side of Playas de Rosarito. Currently residents do not have access to a sewer system and use latrines, septic tanks without drain fields and open-air ditches for wastewater disposal, posing a health risk for residents from direct contact with raw sewage, as well as an environmental risk for contamination of groundwater and surface water. An estimated 3,500 households in these subdivisions are generating approximately 44.3 liters per second (lps) or 1 million gallons per day (mgd) of wastewater that is not being disposed of properly.

Description

The project consists of constructing a sewer system by installing approximately 33,500 meters (109,900 ft) of sewer lines and subcollectors. Wastewater collected in the project area will be treated at the Rosarito Norte wastewater treatment plant, which has sufficient
capacity to handle the additional flows. Treated effluent will be discharged into the Pacific Ocean via Reforma Creek.

Benefits

This project will reduce environmental and health hazards associated with inadequate sewage disposal, thus providing a cleaner healthier environment for local residents. Specifically, an estimated 1 MGD of wastewater will be collected and treated prior to its eventual discharge into the Pacific Ocean.