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EXCLUSIVE: Mexico’s Sewage Is Making America’s Future Navy SEALs Sick
The article reports that Navy SEAL candidates training near San Diego are becoming ill after exposure to sewage-contaminated water flowing from the Tijuana River. It says the pollution may affect candidates’ health and training, while raising concerns about military readiness and the response to a long-running cross-border sewage crisis.
The river empties into the Pacific near Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, where special operations personnel train. California’s State Lands Commission estimates that about 50 million gallons of waste enter the river daily, while the article cites health risks including infections and gastrointestinal illnesses. It also reports that a San Diego beach has been closed for more than 1,000 consecutive days and quotes a retired SEAL who says he developed rhabdomyolysis during training; the article does not establish that sewage caused his condition.
In short
- Sewage from the Tijuana River reaches waters near SEAL training sites.
- About 50 million gallons of waste enter the river daily.
- The article raises concerns about health and military readiness.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
If sewage pollution is making trainees ill, it poses a preventable risk to their health and could disrupt demanding military training. The reported scale and persistence of contamination support calls for urgent action by relevant authorities on both sides of the border, with public health and readiness treated as priorities.
The case against
The reported illnesses and training effects do not, on the information provided, establish that sewage caused particular candidates’ conditions or quantify its impact on readiness. A careful response should distinguish documented exposure and health risks from unproven individual causal claims, while assessing costs, responsibilities and practical options for addressing a complex cross-border problem.