Phil Mickelson Sounds Off on San Diego’s Sewage Crisis as Beaches Close and SEALs Sicken

The sewage crisis plaguing San Diego’s pristine shores has reached a foul new low, with millions of gallons of untreated wastewater from Mexico spilling into the Pacific, shuttering beaches and sickening Navy SEAL trainees. LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson didn’t mince words, quipping on social media, "Something about this doesn’t smell right," in response to local official Jim Desmond’s plea for action.

Desmond, San Diego County’s District 5 Supervisor, revealed the grim reality at a recent meeting: iconic beaches near the historic Hotel Del were closed over Memorial Day weekend, and Imperial Beach has been off-limits for three years running. The culprit? Up to 10 million gallons of raw sewage daily from Tijuana, where outdated infrastructure can’t keep pace with the city’s booming population. Desmond’s push to pressure Mexico into building a treatment facility was shot down by colleagues hesitant to ruffle international feathers, leaving locals and visitors wading in frustration.

The crisis isn’t just a beachgoer’s nightmare—it’s a health hazard. A Department of Defense report flagged 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illness among SEAL candidates between 2019 and 2023, directly tied to contaminated waters. Yet, hope flickers: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced last month that the U.S. and Mexico are nearing a “100% solution” to end this decades-long mess, with technical talks underway to seal the deal.

As San Diego’s waves carry more than just surfers, the question remains: will international cooperation clean up this mess, or are we stuck holding our noses?