Lower ocean water bacteria levels have reopened the Imperial Beach shoreline to a level not seen since mid-December 2023, though a much longer closure, dating back to late 2021, remains in place for the Tijuana Slough.

"For the first time since December 2023, the majority of the Imperial Beach shoreline is now open and safe for public use," said San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas.

Residents in Imperial Beach were able to enter the water for the first time in years on Sunday after closures were lifted.

IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — After a nearly three-year closure, parts of the Imperial Beach coastline are reopening. “Basically, our entire stretch of beach has been closed for 1,018 consecutive days,” said Paloma Aguirre, the mayor of Imperial Beach.

For the first time in more than a year, the county lifted Beach Closures along the Imperial Beach shoreline. Environmental officials with the county said recent testing showed the bacteria levels in the water are acceptable under state health standards.

The coastline in Imperial Beach has been closed for nearly three years due to the cross-border sewage crisis, but on Saturday the ocean in that area was officially cleared by county health officials.

Despite County reopening part of the Imperial Beach shoreline, one business owner says the beach needs to stay open for 'several weeks' to recover.