SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The results are in from the first-ever federal health survey on the impacts of the Tijuana sewage crisis on residents in southern San Diego County, and a majority of those asked said they have health concerns, symptoms and quality-of-life issues. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials visited San Diego's South Bay and Nestor communities the weekend of Oct. 17, 2024 to survey the public on possible effects of the Tijuana River sewage contamination that has been an ongoing issue in that area for years. CDC visiting random South Bay homes Oct. 17-19 for health survey on Tijuana sewage crisis The Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey was conducted in person in those communities, and according to data from the study released Thursday by San Diego County and the CDC, 333 households out of 480 answered the door, with 189 agreeing to be interviewed by CDC officials for the survey. The study shows drastic results, with a majority of the households saying they have health concerns, symptoms and quality-of-life issues; 81% of those surveyed said their household’s health was among their top concern, while more than half (67%) believed their health had gotten worse. Also, 69% reported one or more household member has health symptoms from the sewage crisis, with 18% saying they sought medical care. The symptoms reported the most as a result of the sewage crisis were headaches, nausea or upset stomach, cough and irritated throat, according to the results. Parts of Imperial Beach coastline reopens after years of closures The survey also asked South Bay residents how the sewage was impacting their daily lives, with 80% saying their quality of life had been negatively impacted. 65% said they took extra steps to avoid certain areas like river water and beach water, where closures were in place at the Imperial Beach shoreline for nearly three years in a row before reopening on and off just this past fall. In an attempt to help mitigate the odor and bacteria in the air from the sewage during the heat wave this past summer, San Diego County distributed air purifiers to residents living in three zip codes in the South Bay. The results from the CASPER survey reports 71% said they could smell sewage inside their home, outside their home and in their neighborhood. Residents react to air purifier raffle system in Imperial Beach Of those that could smell sewage, the survey noted nearly 70% said the sewage smell was strongest at night, while 72% said they closed their windows to reduce the smell. The impacts also caused 59% of those surveyed to make changes to their daily activities and routines directly because of the sewage crisis, with more than half decreasing their time spent at beaches, outside or at parks. Also notable from the survey, 70% said the sewage crisis caused one or more disruptions to their household’s lives.   In addition to the health impacts, the survey also asked residents about their mental health. The results showed 38% said their anxiety and worry increased, while 59% said their overall stress increased. Biden’s disaster relief package includes $310M for South Bay sewage plant As for drinking water, the survey reports 71% do not believe tap water is safe, and that 67% of households use bottled water or water from another source. Read the full October 2024 Community Health Survey results below: Tijuana-River-Valley-CASPER-Final-ReportDownload “We are grateful to all the residents who took part in the CASPER survey and for the partnership with the CDC in getting this done,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, County Interim Public Health Officer. “These results validate the concerns residents of the South Bay have been voicing and the real impacts the sewage contamination is having on people’s lives, physical and mental health. Collecting this information represents an important step forward in strengthening our collaboration with local, state and federal partners.”  In response to the results from this survey, the County of San Diego said they have identified the following priority actions to address with collaborating partners: Communication: Share health and resource information in multiple formats including social media and via community outreach workers Drinking Water: Educate the community about how drinking water is tested and kept safe    Mental Health Concerns: Promote mental health services and resources Healthcare Providers: Update providers on surveillance activities and ongoing projects  Pet Concerns: Engage with vets, hospitals and area animal organizations Imperial Beach mayor heads to Washington to push for action on Tijuana sewage crisis After the results were released, Paloma Aguirre, the mayor of Imperial Beach and candidate for the San Diego Board of Supervisors District 1 seat being vacated by Nora Vargas, released the following statement Friday on the public health emergency from the cross-border pollution: "This report confirms what we’ve known for years—South County families are getting sick from toxic sewage. I appreciate the data, but we don’t need another report—we need action." "If people in La Jolla were getting rashes just by stepping outside, no expense would be spared to fix the problem, but South County just gets excuses, blame and more of the same. It’s clearer than ever that we need government to end the inaction and treat this crisis like the emergency it clearly is," she added. The CASPER survey isn't the only study being done in the Tijuana River Valley on the dangers of the toxic waste and how it affects the health of people and their pets. Survey on South Bay toxic waste health impacts receives at least 1,000 responses The federal Assessment of Chemical Exposures (ACE), from the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), was completed in November 2024 by 2,150 San Diegans who live, work or play around the Tijuana River Valley and south San Diego County. The county says those results will be available in the next couple of months.