RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Riviera Beach’s Special Utility District is suspected of breaking various state or federal laws related to water quality 189 times, according to a new notice from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Palm Beach County.
WPTV Reporter Ethan Stein exclusively obtained the notice from a public records request from the FDOH describing various violations related to testing, notifying the public and staff actions from January to September 2023. The notice also said the city utility, which serves Riviera Beach and surrounding areas, had 108 samples test positive for total coliform, an indicator of animal waste or human waste.
Six samples tested positive for E. coli.
The documents contradict the city’s most recent notification to customers indicating only seven samples tested positive for total coliform during the time period. The notification also saidthe city couldn’t determine if the water quality was safe for customers from January to September 2023.
The statement was a reversal from the historical position of city officials on water quality being safe enough to drink.
Riviera Beach City Manager Jonathan Evens is currently running the utility after its executive director was fired in July. He told WPTV Chief Investigator Jamie Ostroff he would run the utility with transparency.
“…at the end of the day, we need to communicate what our errors and omissions were, own those mistakes, be true to the public and move forward,” Evans said last week.“But I can tell you that this is a priority for me, and this is a priority for my administration."
Riviera Beach resident Scott Louis said the notification WPTV uncovered is proof the city isn’t transparent. He said the number of positive samples for water contamination and times the city potentially broke federal and state law is astonishing.
“This is the kind of thing you wonder if the Governor needs to step in,” Lewis said. “…God. It’s stunning. I mean not one head, but a bunch of heads ought to be rolling. I don’t know where they are going to roll. But, somebody has to help the citizens of Riviera Beach.”
Serena Spates, a spokesperson for Riviera Beach, emphasized these are potential violations in an email statement. She also said utility staff met with the state agency to admit several violations while arranging the terms of an investigation to confirm other issues.
“However, the specific number of violations related to the failure to report lab results is pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation and subsequent discussions with the FDOH,” Spates wrote. “Once this investigation and our discussions with the FDOH have concluded, any additional public notifications required will be promptly issued.”
Spates said the violations confirmed by the FDOH were previously admitted in the latest disclosure to customers sent in August, and that the city remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates on any further violations identified by the FDOH.
