RELATED: Boynton Beach: Sewer pipe break contaminates ICW, costs city at least $1 million
Our summers at the beach are sacred. In Palm Beach County, it’s our time to get out on the water with family and friends and enjoy everything that our beaches, reefs and waterways have to offer. Whether swimming, surfing, fishing, diving, paddleboarding, water skiing or boating, the summer is ripe for water-based recreational activities.
Many of us headed to the beach to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. We swam and surfed — unaware and ill-informed of an ongoing sewage spill in Boynton Beach.
Starting on July 3, more than 12 million gallons of sewage poured into the Intracoastal Waterway until July 6.
The Department of Health issued its no-contact advisory on July 7. For nearly five days, recreators nearby were potentially exposed to bacteria that could make them sick, or worse, with no clearly communicated warning or advisory from local authorities.
This is an unacceptable risk. Residents and visitors deserve to have the most timely, accessible and accurate information at their fingertips to understand any potential risks of getting in the water. They should not be subjected to swimming in polluted water.
Sadly, this is not the first time the public has been left in the dark regarding polluted waters and potential health risks. That’s why Surfrider’s statewide network, including the Palm Beach County chapter, has vocally advocated for changes to the state’s water quality monitoring program over the past few legislative sessions.
The most recent bill, the Safe Waterways Act, would ensure prompt, consistent public notification when it is unsafe to swim in Florida waters. This measure did not pass, and now Palm Beach area residents and visitors are vulnerable to illness because of it.
To protect the public health, safety and welfare of Floridians and the millions of people who visit our state every year, the state Legislature must enact robust laws regarding water quality monitoring and rigorous public notification. Until then, we will not truly know if it’s safe to swim in our local waterways.
Aaron Barnes
Surfrider Foundation,
Palm Beach County chair
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