IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) – The Imperial Beach shoreline was cool and windy Tuesday.

“You can open your windows today. But it’s uncertain. You still have to evaluate it,” Imperial Beach resident Dorian Edge.

Edge, who has lived in IB since the 1980s, says the odor and sewage crisis is nothing short of difficult.

“When you wake up gagging because the pollution is so bad at night, you can’t breathe and you have to get up and close your windows. That’s when you really realize it,” Edge said.

There is news of hope from President Joe Biden has set aside $310 million to help upgrade the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

It was set aside as part of the president’s proposed disaster relief funding package.

“We got over $400 million and applied it to the project. We’re going to need another $200 million, and that $310 million will be enough to cover that,” Rep. Scott Peters said.

“What this would allow us to do, with the additional funding, is to really strengthen our plant and even look at the possibility of increasing capacity, right? Either towards primary processing or towards a primary and secondary treatment in its own right,” Dr. Maria -Elena Giner, Commissioner of the USIBWC, said.

ABC 10News asked Giner if this possible funding could accelerate the timeline for repairing the plant within 5 to 7 years.

“This funding will help us make those types of decisions, whether it’s building it bigger or faster or a combination of both. It’ll give us that level of flexibility,” Giner said.

The entire proposed financing plan will eventually need to be approved by Congress.

“I think there’s a reasonable chance that, given the large number of interests involved, Republicans and Democrats will come together and vote for this,” Peters said.

Even though this money seems good, Edge believes they need to do more and faster.

“It’s going to go through the government. It’s going to take forever. That’s why a state of emergency has to be declared. We have to do it now, not years later, not months later. It has to be done Now we’re already way behind,” Edge said.