SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — President Joe Biden is asking Congress to approve $310 million in funding to help repair and upgrade the derelict sewage treatment plant in South Bay as part of a sweeping $100 billion disaster relief package. The additional cash for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant that could be unlocked by the supplemental emergency funding request would build on the more than $400 million already earmarked for a $600 million project to repair and expand the facility. When it was built in 1997, the plant was designed to treat upwards of 25 million gallons of wastewater flowing from Tijuana daily. In recent years however, the facility has largely been unable to pull its weight, barely capturing a fraction of sewage flows as its infrastructure fails. Lawsuit filed over South Bay sewage crisis San Diego's Democratic congressional delegation applauded the inclusion of the additional funds in the disaster relief package, which largely focuses on recovery efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the southeast. “I’m glad to see President Biden demonstrate yet again that addressing this pollution is a key priority," Rep. Juan Vargas, who represents the South Bay, said in a statement. "But to all the members of our community who have joined us and raised their voices about the impacts of this terrible pollution, your advocacy is making a difference." This is the second time Biden has included a $310 million grant for the facility in a spending request in as many years following months of pushing from the congressional delegation. They have also been calling for the president to declare a federal emergency over the ongoing crisis. The first request from the White House led to Congress approving $156.05 million for construction to the federally-operated South Bay facility — triple what had been allocated the year before, but still short of what is needed to complete all of the planned work. Congress also set aside $300 million back in 2021 for the International Boundary and Water Commission, the entity which manages the plant, for construction at the South Bay plant. Survey on South Bay toxic waste health impacts receives at least 1,000 responses Construction to get the facility back into working order broke ground in October. The initial stage of the renovation is focused on creating a bypass system for the sewage so crews can conduct work on essential parts of the plant. Should Congress approve Biden's latest spending request, crews will also be able to fund efforts to expand the plant's size, doubling its capacity. Officials say both rehabilitating and building out the plant would significantly curb the amount of sewage flowing through the Tijuana River Valley that ends up making it to the coastal waters off San Diego County. "We know there’s more work to do. This funding must get through both the House and the Senate," Vargas continued. "Congressional leadership should take this up immediately.”