Navy SEAL candidates are training in sewage-contaminated waters off San Diego, and retired SEALs and a candidate’s family member say serious illnesses are taking a toll. Their accounts to the Daily Caller News Foundation raise concerns about a training environment already flagged by military investigators. The Tijuana River carries untreated wastewater from Mexico into waters near Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Candidates spend hours in the water during demanding exercises, creating repeated opportunities for exposure. The central question is not whether SEAL training should be difficult, but whether preventable contamination is undermining the people trying to complete it.
The strongest documented warning comes from the Department of War Inspector General, which published findings on Feb. 7, 2025. Testing from February 2024 through September 2024 found enterococcus bacteria above state safety levels in 76% of samples north of the base and 75% south of it. Yet the command relocated only 12 of 265 candidate water-training events, according to the inspector general. Those findings establish a serious exposure problem, even without proving the cause of every reported illness. They also make this an institutional accountability issue, not simply a dispute over unpleasant beach conditions.
Navy SEAL Candidates Describe Illness During Training
Retired Navy SEAL Jeff Gum told the DCNF that he contracted rhabdo during BUD/s training and saw his performance deteriorate. “I went from never failing anything in the first class to not being able to pass anything in my second class,” he said. Rhabdo involves muscle breakdown that can release toxic material into the bloodstream and damage the kidneys, according to Cleveland Clinic. Gum described doctors testing his blood after suspecting the condition. His account illustrates the potential consequences of serious illness during selection, although it does not independently establish that sewage exposure caused his rhabdo.
A family member of a sailor currently in BUD/s described candidates seeking treatment for MRSA infections and stomach problems, sometimes facing medical setbacks in training. She spoke anonymously to the DCNF because she feared potential retribution. She also reported Hepatitis A cases and attributed them to contaminated water, a connection that was her assessment rather than a publicly established diagnosis of the cause. Hepatitis A can spread through contaminated water, according to the World Health Organization. The California Regional Quality Control Board also identifies hepatitis, parasites, norovirus and other illnesses as risks associated with Tijuana River contamination.
A Cross-Border Infrastructure Failure Reaches Coronado
The Tijuana River crosses from Mexico into California and empties into the Pacific just south of the training base. Approximately 50 million gallons of waste enter the river daily, according to the California State Lands Commission. The problem extends beyond the river mouth: a University of California Riverside study found polluted water could travel up to 22 miles along the coast, with particles subsequently entering the air. Candidates swimming, diving and conditioning can encounter water through their mouths, eyes, ears and open wounds. For trainees with cuts and blisters, avoiding swallowed water alone does not eliminate the exposure risk.
Population growth has placed additional pressure on an already inadequate wastewater system. An EPA official told the DCNF that Tijuana’s official census population increased from approximately 1.2M to 2.3M between 2010 and 2024, with uncounted migration adding further strain. San Diego Coast Keeper said the treatment system was developed for a substantially smaller population. Retired SEAL Robert Sweetman also blamed Biden-era border policies for worsening the pressures, but that is his political assessment, not an established measurement of their contribution. The infrastructure mismatch is clear; assigning responsibility for its growth requires keeping documented conditions separate from political claims.
Promises of Repairs Leave a Training Dilemma
The Trump administration says it is pursuing a lasting solution through agreements with Mexico. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin met with Mexican environment secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra in July 2025, followed by the signing of Minute of Understanding 333 in December 2025. An EPA spokesperson said the agreements address current wastewater demand and future population growth through 2050 and beyond. Mexico has also agreed to build another treatment plant by the end of 2028, although whether construction has begun is unclear. The Mexican Embassy pointed to a quarterly EPA report documenting the clearing of 16,622 feet of river, evidence of activity but not an end to contamination.
For military leaders, the immediate challenge is how to maintain training without accepting avoidable health risks. The inspector general said training should be relocated, rescheduled or canceled when water quality falls below state standards. Vice Adm. John Vincent Fuller responded that canceling or moving 75 percent of water training would present a practical challenge. He called for systems or protocols allowing personnel to train and operate while managing preventable risk. That is a legitimate operational concern, but difficulty changing the schedule does not answer how candidates will be protected during continued exposure.
The unresolved issue is what protection exists while infrastructure work and diplomatic commitments move forward. The Department of War Inspector General and Naval Special Warfare Command did not respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment. Illness accounts still require careful medical attribution, and cleanup commitments should not be dismissed as though nothing has happened. But the inspector general’s testing and training findings demand more than reassurance. A demanding selection course can test endurance without treating sewage exposure as an unavoidable measure of toughness, and military readiness depends on recognizing that distinction.
Source: BizPac Review