Coronado lifeguards use leak-proof dry suits for open water rescues. Imperial Beach lifeguards decontaminate in showers after leaving the ocean. And both have ditched jet skis for the protection offered by boats.

These aren't new equipment standards.

They are tools the two South County, California, departments have rolled out independently to protect themselves from daily exposure to polluted, sewage-tainted waters. No safety standards exist for lifeguards who come into contact with contaminated water while trying to save lives. That's because no other agency in the country experiences this issue, field experts say.

Years of disrepair and underinvestment in treatment plants on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border have led to billions of gallons of partially treated wastewater flowing from Tijuana to South San Diego shorelines for years. Some work is underway to get the infrastructure fixed. But the lagged response has led to public health complications, beach closures, economic distress and challenging rescues for frontline workers like lifeguards and Border Patrol agents.

"We can't wait years for the federal government to get enough money and do all this construction," said Coronado Lifeguard Capt. Sean Carey. "We just need some protections now because this is the lifeguard's cancer."

Establishing safety standards is one way to start, said Carey. He is spearheading an effort to make that happen.

In the meantime, Imperial Beach and Coronado are doing what they can to continue rescues while minimizing contact with polluted waters.

Taking matters into their own hands

Lifeguarding in South County is changing as it adjusts to worsening cross-border pollution.

In Imperial Beach, where shorelines have been closed for the last two years, lifeguards are busier than ever — but not in the water, said Imperial Beach Marine Safety Capt. Jason Lindquist.

...continued

©2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.