Coronado Unified School District Files Lawsuit Alleging Negligence for Repeated and Illegal Discharge of Raw Sewage in South Bay San Diego

Lawsuit alleges negligence by sewage plant operator for hundreds of violations of Clean Water Act regulations over the last several decades

SAN DIEGO, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On behalf of Coronado Unified School District, Frantz Law Group filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court in the County of San Diego against Veolia Water North American-West, Veolia Water West Operating Services, and other operators of the South Bay International Water Treatment Plant (Plant) for repeatedly exposing its students and teachers to raw sewage and contamination in breach of their permit under the Clean Water Act. 

Coronado Unified contends that the defendants' ongoing negligence and conscious disregard for safety in operating the Plant has led to significant exposure to fecal bacteria, viruses, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals to its students and teachers.  In addition, Coronado Unified alleges that this exposure to dangerous and deadly pathogens, toxins, sewage, and noxious odors has had serious health consequences for its students and faculty, as well as severe local environmental and ecological harm.

"Coronado and the communities of the South Bay are literally sick of excuses," said James P. Frantz, CEO of Frantz Law Group, the law firm filing this complaint on behalf of Coronado Unified.  "We allege that the defendants in this case have knowingly been dumping billions of gallons of raw sewage in the Tijuana estuary and on San Diego beaches with little or no regard for the effects on school districts, students, teachers, individuals, and families that are being constantly subjected to airborne pathogens and noxious odor.  These are their homes and communities, not dumping grounds for dangerous untreated sewage."  

This lawsuit is a mass tort which allows for individualized claims, meaning each plaintiff can present their unique case, damages and circumstances. Unlike class actions, mass torts often provide more tailored compensation, as each plaintiff's injuries are assessed individually, potentially leading to higher recoveries.

About Frantz Law Group
Frantz Law Group is an award-winning personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injury, trucking litigation, mass tort, and class action law firm that has been serving clients for over

46 years. The firm has secured over three hundred multimillion-dollar individual settlements and jury verdicts, including verdicts where FLG worked with other law firms to win several multibillion-dollar settlements benefiting thousands of victims.

Frantz Law Group has been ranked Tier 1 in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" from 2010-2025 for mass tort litigation/class actions - plaintiffs.  James P. Frantz is a fellow and associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, is a 20-year Special Master appointed by the State Bar of California, and a 20-year Master of The Enright Chapter, American Inns of Court. For more information, please visit www.frantzlawgroup.com.

Media Contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE Frantz Law Group