Lake Worth plant, shifts sand around, keeps inlet clear

LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Originally excavated in 1925 to flush the Lake Worth Lagoon, the South Lake Worth Inlet used a sand transfer plant to keep the waterway clear of sand and debris.

"It was the first one of it's kind in the country, so we're kind of due for an upgrade," said Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams.

That upgrade was unveiled Thursday. The ribbon was cut, and the sand began to flow.

"The new sand plant is intended to overcome the sand losses that an inlet creates," said Robert Robbins, the Deputy Director of Palm Beach County's Environmental Resources Management Program.

The pump provides a crucial service to the inlet, pumping sand from the North, down to the South side of the inlet, where sand tends to erode more quickly.

"You see the boom that's down in the water. That's actually sucking up the sand. It pumps it through a pipe that goes underneath the inlet. That pump resurfaces on the South side of the inlet. It hits the beach and goes back into the beach system," said Robbins.

The old station was retired after more than 70 years of service, now electricity powers the pump, an eco-friendly alternative to diesel.

"More fuel efficient, less costly to run. Should have a longer life expectancy," said Robbins.

The advances in technology provided by the recent upgrade make the system much cleaner, but also, more of a challenge to protect.

"This is built more like a lighthouse to withstand storms. Ten inch thick concrete to house it. That's really more of the challenge, building a structure like that that can withstand hurricanes, and still be cost effective," said Robbins.