Recently, the Florida Health Department in Palm Beach County has lifted a health alert for water bodies after a sewer line rupture near Lake Worth Beach on April 9. A contractor working with AT&T damaged a 36-inch line between Florida Mango Road and Waterside Drive. An estimated 3 to 5 million gallons of sewage were released before the line was repaired by the Lake Worth Utility District four days later.
Recent laboratory testing with the City of Lake Worth Beach and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that the water now meets surface water quality standards for fecal-indicator bacteria. This means that residents can resume water-related activities in the affected areas without any concerns about contamination. However, an advisory remains in place for the surface water between South Congress Avenue and Florida Mango Road. There is no impact on drinking water.
The no-swim advisory and no irrigation restriction for residents and visitors have been lifted in several areas by officials, including Lake Clarke, Lake Clarke Shores, L-10 Canal, L-9 Canal, Grassy Saw Lake, Lake Osborne, C-51/West Palm Beach Canal, and several canals in the vicinity. Crews have been working to clean up the contaminated canals by using vacuum trucks to remove sewage and aerators to add oxygen back to the water.
A bypass was installed around the site of the leak to allow sewage to flow freely. Booms were placed upstream and downstream from the break to contain the spilled wastewater, which is being pumped out and recovered into the treatment system. For more information on how wastewater overflow can affect your health, residents are advised to contact DOH-Palm Beach at 561-837-5900 or chd50contactus@flhealth.gov.
In summary, after thorough testing of affected areas’ waters bodies it has been determined that they meet surface water quality standards for fecal indicator bacteria hence lifting no swim advisories or irrigation restrictions in several areas such as lake clarke shores among others. It is important for residents who may have concerns about their health due to wastewater overflow incidents like this one should contact DOH – Palm beach at (561) 837 – 5900 or [chd50contactus@flhealth
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