The New River that runs from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, through Calexico, California is considered to be one of the most polluted waterways in North America. The source of the pollution is the refuse and waste from manufacturing plants operating in Mexico; agricultural chemical runoff from the area's farm industry; and human waste form the ever-expanding population in Mexicali. The river contains a nightmare stew of about 100 biological contaminants, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and pesticides including: DDT, PCB, selenium, uranium, arsenic and mercury. The river also holds the toxins that cause tuberculosis, encephalitis, polio, cholera, hepatitis and typhoid, all flowing untreated through our city; levels for many of these contaminants are in violation of U.S.EPA and Cal/EPA standards.
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More info can be found on the site: CalexicoNewRiver.org