The health advisory for all surface water bodies in Lake Worth Beach has been lifted by the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County. This decision comes after a recent sewage spill near the intersection of the L-10 Canal and Florida Mango Road. The spill occurred when a contractor for AT&T damaged a 36-inch subregional wastewater force main on April 12th.
Lake Worth Beach has implemented a state-of-the-art outage maintenance system to improve their operations. Assistant Director of Systems Operations, Jason Bailey, recently shared details about the new system.
Following the spill, a health alert, a no-swim advisory, and a no-irrigation order were issued for several waterways in the area. Lake Worth Beach Water Utilities crews and emergency contractors worked diligently to repair the break. Recent laboratory testing, conducted in coordination with the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, confirmed that the water in these areas now meets surface-water quality standards for fecal-indicator bacteria.
Residents can now resume water-related activities in the affected areas, as the public health alert has been lifted. The original alert was issued near the intersection of the L-10 Canal and Florida Mango Road with some water bodies partially affected for a week. For more information on the potential health effects of wastewater overflow, residents can contact the health department’s Palm Beach office at 561-837-5900 or email chd50contactus@flhealth.gov