RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Following revelations of fecal contamination in Riviera Beach’s drinking water dating back to last year — and months of reporting on systemic issues with the water system — the Riviera Beach City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to remove the man in charge of that system.
The city’s utility board, which is comprised of city council members and Mayor Ronnie Felder, had met for a regular meeting Wednesday evening. On the agenda was approval of an $80,000 settlement with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County for a string of violations following multiple positive fecal samples within the city’s water system.
That’s when the discussion got heated.
"They were simple violations," said Councilmember Shirley Lanier. “You test the water and when it tests positive, you test it again, and you send the information to the health department and that’s how you get boil water notices and all of that stuff. And none of that happened.”
Michael Low, the now-former director of the Utility Special District, went on the defense.
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“This utility is a total mess,” Low said before his removal was proposed at the meeting. “I came in to try to help you. All you have done since I’ve been here is made it hard to do the job. And this will continue as long as I’m in the position, or anybody else.”
Low left the meeting before the council voted to remove him.
"To see the frustration and the passion, that's what we asked for,” said Councilmember Doug Lawson, who chairs the utility board, in an interview with WPTV Thursday. “From the very beginning, we wanted to know that he was just as concerned as we were.”
Regarding Low’s accusation that the board was obstructive, Lawson said, "We haven't stopped anything, or obstructed anything from actually being accomplished."
Lawson said the assistant director of the Utility Special District is serving as the interim director while city leadership considers next steps.
"We're going to have an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss some of the wells in our community, next steps with the water plan, and then also the executive director who will be put in place.”
Asked what qualities he’d look for in the USD’s next director, Lawson said, “experience, transparency, and somebody that wants to be here.”
