Illegal aliens aren't Mexico's only problematic export to the U.S. There's also sludge -- millions of gallons of which flow down the Tijuana River into the Pacific Ocean.
Of course, it's foolish to assume that Mexico would clean up its own mess. The sewage and industrial waste originates from Mexican slums and factories. Last year the streaming filth shut down a California beach for 198 days.
About seven years ago a plan was hatched for the United States to pay a developer $700 million to build and operate a treatment plant in Tijuana. Supposedly the U.S. would recoup some of the investment in the sale of clean water to Mexican factories.
Fortunately that plan with Bajagua LLC hasn't materialized -- but not for lack of trying by the latter. It's estimated Bajagua investors pumped more than $100,000 to politicians. And while the Bush administration has a fix in mind, the Tijuana treatment plant isn't out of the picture yet.
Within Bush's budget is $66 million for a sewage plant on U.S. soil, next to an existing San Diego plant. But that's only if Bajagua fails to break ground by May 2.
First, the idea of the U.S. building a no-bid, multimillion-dollar sewage plant in Mexico -- let alone recoup any of that investment -- is sheer silliness. Where's Mexico's commitment , financial or otherwise, to this scheme?
If the U.S. is forced to clean up this mess, which appears inevitable, let's do so on good 'ol U.S. soil. Then let's send the Mexicans the bill.
