South Bay households to receive more air purifiers as sewage crisis persists

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District’s (APCD) governing board voted unanimously Thursday to expand its air purifier distribution program for South County residents affected by cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

The board approved up to an additional $1 million for the Air Improvement Relief Effort Program (AIRE), with plans to seek funding sources to increase the number of air purifiers per household from one to three units.

At an APCD distribution event Monday in Imperial Beach, resident Camille Bernard picked up a second purifier for herself and her two small children. She said having more than one unit for her home is essential.

“We do have an air purifier in the bedroom we sleep in, but we have three levels to the place that we live in,” Bernard said as volunteers loaded a purifier and two filters into the trunk of her car. “Having the chance to have another one in our space just seemed like something that I wanted to utilize.”

County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, a member of the APCD governing board, spearheaded the effort.

“I know that while we celebrate our accomplishments so far, it is equally important to be clear that our work isn’t finished,...