A cross-border sewage crisis affecting Southern California could play a role in a prominent congressional race, where a Republican challenger has become a national figure on the issue. Jim Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor, has been sounding the alarm recently on Fox News and other conservative outlets about the untreated sewage that’s been flowing from the Tijuana River in Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, contaminating the water and sickening residents. At the same time, he’s seeking to unseat Rep. Mike Levin, accusing the Democratic incumbent of not doing enough to protect residents. … Desmond says Levin’s focus — including $635 million that Levin has gotten approved for projects like improving a major sewage plant on the Mexican side through the bipartisan infrastructure law, among other actions — lets Mexican officials off the hook.

Other Tijuana River news:

• KQED (San Francisco): Tijuana River pollution reaches crisis point in San Diego County, scientists warn
• Border Report: CDC back in California to study Tijuana River Valley contamination