RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County is assessing the city of Riviera Beach’s Special Utility District with a fine worth more than $1.2 million, according to documents WPTV obtained.
Records show the fine, worth $1,238,307.18, was increased due to the utility’s history of noncompliance. This fine is related to the health department’s investigation for 189 different violations, of which the state agency found evidence to assess the city utility with 155 violations.
According to the document, most of those violations are related to the city not turning water quality tests into the health department. The health department also said the city utility, serving Riviera Beach and surrounding areas, failed to notify the public and the health department about total coliform and other bacteria indicating fecal material was in the water.
The fine, based off city budget documents, is about 1.3% of the revenue the city collected in the 2023 fiscal year.
The city is still awaiting another possible fine after the health department claimed the city fabricated water tests. It also paid a fine worth $80,000 due to the utility’s response to a water contamination event in June 2023.
WPTV reached out to spokespeople for the city of Riviera Beach, who runs the utility district, and the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County. We are still awaiting comment.
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