RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — For years, residents of Riviera Beach have had a simple answer when asked about their tap water: they don't drink it. The reason isn't hard to find.
WATCH BELOW: 'Don't drink that water. They get it from the store,' Gloria Evans tells WPTV's Kayla McDermott
A water treatment plant built in the 1950s to serve roughly 13,000 people is still operating today — long past the end of its intended lifespan — while the city's population has grown to nearly 40,000. City officials acknowledged the plant should have been replaced 25 years ago.
The result has been decades of declining water quality, mounting regulatory violations and a growing distrust between residents and the utility responsible for keeping their water safe.
"Riviera Beach got the poorest water system," Thomas, a Riviera Beach resident, said.
Gloria Evans, who has lived in the city for decades, said the deterioration has been gradual but unmistakable.
"We never did have that issue back in the 70s," Evans said. "It's getting worse."
A system pushed past its limits
The Riviera Beach Special Utility District has faced scrutiny for years, but the problems accelerated as the aging infrastructure struggled to keep pace with a growing population.
In 2015, WPTV reported that 20% of Riviera Beach's water tested positive for bacteria and that the city had failed to warn residents. In the years that followed, WPTV investigations uncovered a pattern of violations, including missed reporting deadlines and repeated contamination. Records show multiple incidents where drinking water tested positive for coliform, or fecal matter.
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Riviera Beach water utility fined $10,000
One of the most serious incidents came in 2023, when the utility waited approximately seven months to notify residents of a contamination event — a direct violation of Florida law. Investigators found the city failed to report positive tests to the Florida Department of Health at least 130 times, ultimately racking up $1.2 million in state and federal fines.
WATCH BELOW: City hoping to pay fine through 'in-kind' payments
The problems weren't limited to what came out of the tap. Inside the plant, WPTV uncovered deteriorating conditions, including duct tape used to patch leaky machinery.
Former employee Robert Walker described the environment in stark terms during a 2024 interview with WPTV's Ethan Stein, detailing chemical leaks, dust exposure and workers suffering chemical burns.
"It's nasty," Walker said.
WATCH BELOW: Former employee says lack of maintenance hurt water quality
Residents who attended city commission meetings made clear they felt let down by those responsible for their water supply.
"This should be a lesson — you didn't protect us," one resident said.
Leadership turnover and lingering skepticism
The mounting violations and public pressure eventually led to significant changes at the top of the utility district. The city fired Utility Director Michael Low in July of 2024.
Riviera Beach
Riviera Beach votes unanimously to terminate their utility director
The assistant director left shortly after, and the water treatment manager also resigned.
But for many residents, the leadership changes have done little to restore confidence. Most said they rely entirely on bottled water — an added expense on top of water bills they're still required to pay. Thomas said his water bill has climbed to $118, even as he continues to buy bottled water to avoid drinking from the tap.
"I don't even bother. I just pay my bill and leave it alone," Thomas said.
Some residents have also reported health concerns they believe are connected to years of exposure to the tap water.
A new plant, but trust remains fractured
The city calls itself the best waterfront city, but residents say the drinking water has long failed to reflect that reputation.
A new water treatment plant has been promised as the solution to the city's long-running infrastructure problems. A new utility director was hired in December of 2025 to lead the effort. But after years of contamination reports, regulatory failures and broken promises, residents say the announcement alone isn't enough.
"Don't drink that water. They get it from the store," Evans said.
WATCH BELOW: Riviera Beach breaks ground on new water treatment facility
When asked directly whether he would ever drink the tap water, Desmond, another Riviera Beach resident, didn't hesitate. "No," Desmond said.
Residents said that even if the new plant delivers on its promises, repairing the relationship between the community and the city will be a much longer process than building new infrastructure.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Well tests positive for fecal bacteria; public not notified until 7 months later
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