RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — WPTV has obtained more water testing results out of Riviera Beach that show the presence of fecal bacteria in a residential water supply.
Those results came as a surprise to neighbors near the testing site, raising more questions for the city that has come under scrutiny for not notifying the public about water contamination promptly as required by law.
The newly-obtained document shows the results of a routine round of testing conducted on Aug. 15, 2023. It lists six addresses from which a water sample was collected and tested for E. Coli and coliform bacteria. The coliform column next to an address on 34th Street is marked with a "P" for "present."
Investigations
Riviera Beach collected 'fecal positive samples' from water served to customers
"It's where they normally come and test the water," Gisele Lowe, who lives next door to the home. "At least three or four times a year, I've seen them come by and check the outside water."
When WPTV showed Lowe the results, she said the city had never notified her.
"There was no notice given," Lowe said, "and I'm concerned about that. I think it's important that we should be made aware of what's going on with our water."
The Aug. 15 document reveals the latest of several instances of fecal contamination in Riviera Beach's water last year, that we are just now uncovering.
The city posted its first public notice of contaminated water on Jan. 19, 2024, in reference to well testing that was performed on June 27, 2023.
The notice did not mention testing performed on June 6, 2023, that showed E. coli in a water sample collected from a home on Caribbean Boulevard. However, in an email WPTV obtained from the Florida Department of Health, the Riviera Beach Utilities Special District Director Michael Low called that test a "false positive" after follow-up testing at the same site came back negative.
WPTV reported Tuesday that additional records from the Florida Department of Health revealed the presence of coliform (fecal) bacteria well water tests in Riviera Beach on Aug. 10 and 11, 2023. Well water is not yet treated.
The Aug. 15 testing is the first example of fecal bacteria appearing at a home around that time.
Riviera Beach
Another water sample tested positive for fecal bacteria in August
Lowe, who is of no relation to the utility director, said she began feeling ill around that time as well.
"I'm really having a lot of trouble with reflux and my stomach's bothering me," she said.
Lowe has been seeing doctors and undergoing medical testing to pinpoint the cause of her recent health issues and now wonders whether contaminated water is to blame.
“(The timing) lines up," she said.
WPTV emailed Low and Mayor Ronnie Felder a list of questions about the newly-surfaced document, including whether any follow-up testing was performed on 34th Street to confirm the Aug. 15 result. Neither official has replied to WPTV.