The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday signed off on emergency rules to send nearly $50 million from Proposition 4 into projects meant to cut sewage, trash and other pollution that flow north from Mexico into the Tijuana River Valley and the New River. The decision starts a short, highly competitive application window that local leaders say could bankroll everything from trash interception and sewer repairs to habitat restoration and public-health efforts. Board members and staff cautioned that, with serious needs on both sides of the border, the money could vanish fast.
How the guidelines work
The guidelines carve out about $46.15 million for planning, research and on-the-ground work, and tell staff to accept applications between June and August, score them in the fall, and start signing funding agreements early next year. At least 40% of the money must directly benefit disadvantaged or vulnerable communities. The package also spells out scoring rubrics, project-readiness benchmarks and application templates for would-be grantees.
Planning grants come with lower award limits, while construction and implementation projects can seek more. Applications must go through the Water Boards' FAAST online portal. As detailed by the State Water Resources Control Board, proposals that clearly boost water quality and protect public health will land at the top of the list.
What projects are likely to compete
Local agencies are already circling the pot with two large contenders. One is a roughly $25 million “hot spot” fix in the Tijuana River Valley. The other is an upgrade or expansion of a wastewater plant that serves Calexico and the New River corridor. San Diego County has set aside about $3 million for design work on the hot spot, while cost estimates from local advocates for Calexico-area improvements range from about $10 million to $50 million.
Board members spent time wrestling with a draft $10 million cap per project, then ultimately kept the cap but gave themselves room to bump an award higher if a project clearly needs it, according to KPBS.
Binational work and politics
The state moves lands as federal and binational partners run their own tracks. Assemblymember David Alvarez has introduced AB 35, which aims to speed up Proposition 4 programs by exempting some steps from the Administrative Procedure Act, according to Legislative Information.
At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Mexican agencies have been coordinating under a July 2025 memorandum and related workgroups to move border infrastructure faster on both sides. Federal updates say those binational efforts are meant to dovetail with the state grant money and already focus on several priority projects in Tijuana and the South Bay. The U.S. EPA has posted a public timeline and list of commitments for that work.
What comes next
With the application window slated for June through August and scoring set for the fall, local agencies have limited time to polish proposals and lock in partners. State Water Board materials say funding agreements will be issued in early 2027, giving winning projects a bit more lead time before work begins.
KPBS reports that staff told the board there are at least 20 potential projects competing for the money. Expect cities, the county and special districts to lean hard on arguments about project readiness, benefits for disadvantaged communities and tight coordination with federal and Mexican partners once the starting gun officially goes off.
