San Diego County
Air
Pollution
Control District
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H₂S Air Quality Update
There is no active advisory at this time.
For more information, please visit www.sdapcd.org/TJRiver.
Last Updated: February 15, 2026 at 5:35 PM
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) issues H₂S air quality updates to notify the public when elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) are detected for the communities that may potentially be affected by H₂S odors produced by the transboundary wastewater and sewage flows near the Tijuana River Valley.
SDAPCD has placed community monitoring sites to measure H₂S levels and the current information captured is below:
Locations | Date | Time | H2S Levels (ppB [1]) |
Berry Elementary School | 3/2/26
| 7 PM – 8 PM 9 PM – 10 PM 10 PM – 11 PM | 64 142 161 |
| [1] "parts per billion" or ppB is a unit of measurement used to describe the concentration of a substance in the air, water, or soil. Specifically, one part per billion means one part of a substance per one billion parts of the medium (such as air). | |||
The California Office of Health Hazard Assessment has established a threshold of 30 parts per Billion of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions to protect sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with certain health conditions.
H₂S is a gas that can cause a “rotten egg” smell and some individuals may experience odor-related symptoms such as headaches and nausea. H₂S can cause strong odors even at low concentrations.
For current H₂S levels, visit Air Quality Monitoring.
Precautions if odors persist:
- Limit outdoor activities.
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Create a Cleaner Air
Space inside your home by closing windows and doors and use air
conditioning if available and/or indoor air purifiers.
- Households most impacted by odors may qualify for a FREE home air purifier. Visit sdapcd.org/AIRE for more information.
- People with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other chronic lung conditions should have their rescue medication(s) readily available.
- If symptoms from strong odor persists, are worrisome, or worsen, seek medical care.
- If possible, it’s recommended businesses run the HVAC system for 1-2 hours before business hours.
A full guidance of these precautions is available in the Community Hydrogen Sulfide Guidance, a document developed in partnership with multiple agencies to help interpret hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) threshold levels, about what to expect and recommended actions for each level range.
For more information, please visit www.sdapcd.org/TJRiver.
Last Updated: March 3, 2026 at 7:35 AM