Dr. Paula Stigler Granados, a researcher from San Diego State University, says “without a doubt” pollution in the Tijuana River Valley is making people sick. Her comments are based on findings from an online survey being conducted by her and other scientists who are studying the effects of raw sewage and other contamination on those who live along the Tijuana River Valley, which is polluted by effluent and chemicals that flow in from south of the border. Studies have shown that contaminated water that splashes on rocks or is churned by the surf in the ocean releases dangerous gases such as hydrogen sulfide into the air.