Wastewater containing raw sewage has been spilling over the border into the Nogales Wash. 

The wastewater is from the Los Alisos Wastewater Treatment Plant in Nogales, Sonora, and four out of the five water pumps at the plant are not functioning. Lori Kuczmanski with the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission says the commission is providing technical assistance to Mexico and that the pump manufacturer inspected them.

“The pumps are old, they are about five years old, and the inspection revealed that they’re worn out due to excessive grit and they’re also not being maintained. So the pipeline can’t handle the water and it’s overflowing into the Nogales Wash.”

Kuczmanski says nearly 180 gallons of wastewater are flowing per minute during peak usage times. She is unsure when the leak will be fixed.