PALM BEACH, Fla. — A massive water main repair project will shut down portions of Cocoanut Row on Palm Beach until the fall, and West Palm Beach is footing the bill.
The project involves fixing a 2,500-foot-long, 16-inch water main from the 1940s that stretches underground from Royal Poinciana Way to Pendleton Lane. Leaders say the pipe, which supplies water to nearby homes and businesses, has reached the end of its useful life.
The repairs require trench laying and open cuts, shutting down the southern lane of Cocoanut Row and other stretches as needed. During a recent meeting, town council members were warned that traffic backups will worsen, with Phase 1 of the project considered the most difficult and uncertain.
"If you want to get out of town… I recommend May to June," an representative with the project said during a town meeting. There are two phases of the water main project, with Phase 1 currently underway and Phase 2 picking up over the summer.
Town leaders were told the project will cost roughly $2.7 million, but a budget of $3.2 million was approved. Surprisingly, Palm Beach is not paying for the repairs.
"Wow, that cost …" a council member said.
A project rep responded, "West Palm is paying for this."
"Well, at least it's not costing us anything," said the the council member.
WPTV's Kayla McDermott found in a nearly 30-year-old contract that West Palm Beach agreed to not only provide water to the island through five pipes underneath the Intracoastal Waterway, but also take responsibility for Palm Beach’s infrastructure.
The project manager, Jake Hurley, told McDermott over the phone that the fund paying for the repairs is comprised of people's water bills.
"In the Town of Palm Beach, potable water infrastructure improvements such as the Cocoanut Row Water Main Replacement Project, are paid for by the Utility Owner, which is the City of West Palm Beach," said Hurley. "When Town residents pay their water bill, a portion of those payments go to a Renewal and Replacement Fund, this fund exclusively pays for water main projects within the Town of Palm Beach."
"The money is there," an rep for the project said.
A representative for the city of West Palm Beach also confirmed the payment, stating, "The city of West Palm Beach provides water to the city, as well as the towns of Palm Beach and South Palm Beach. The city owns the underground water lines, and funds or partially funds repairs/replacements."
That's something West Palm Beach residents were not aware of.
"I don't feel good about it at all," David Traupman said. "...It should be Palm Beach, they have the money."
The agreement between the town and the city is set to expire soon, meaning West Palm Beach might not be paying for repairs in the near future. However, the city will still front the bill on this project, which is not expected to wrap up until the fall.
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