The Florida Health Department in Palm Beach County has partially lifted a health alert for water bodies after a sewer line rupture near Lake Worth Beach on April 9. A 36-inch line was damaged by a contractor working with AT&T near Florida Mango Road between Waterside Drive and the L-10 Canal. 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 the public can resume water-related activities in the affected areas. 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 the health effects of wastewater overflow, residents are advised to contact DOH-Palm Beach at 561-837-5900 or chd50contactus@flhealth.gov.