Our Water Utilities Department ensures safe, clean drinking water and efficient wastewater and stormwater management for our community. We operate a 17.4 MGD water treatment plant, combining lime-softened and reverse osmosis-treated water, delivered through 168 miles of pipelines and supported by over 1,100 fire hydrants. Our sewer system spans 125 miles, with 33 city-owned pump stations and a regional Master Pump Station serving multiple municipalities. Additionally, our stormwater system maintains 46 outfalls to the Lake Worth Lagoon, helping to protect local waterways. As a joint permittee of the Palm Beach County MS4 NPDES permit, we remain committed to responsible water stewardship.
The City’s Water Utilities Department provides potable drinking water, collection of wastewater and stormwater throughout the City and service areas. The water division operates and maintains a 17.4 MGD water treatment plant that combines lime softened and reverse osmosis treated water that is distributed through a 168 mile watermain piping system to customers. This division also maintains over 1,100 fire hydrants in the system throughout the service area.
The City is nearing completion of a 6-year program to replace over 17 miles of 2-inch corroded galvanized steel watermain piping with larger 4- and 6-inch piping designed for long term use. The Water Utilities Department has applied for and acquired Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans for the construction of this program, which is expected to be complete by 2021.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program recently executed a $3,623,940 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan, of which a portion was awarded as principal forgiveness and will not need to be repaid, to assist the City of Lake Worth’s 2-inch watermain replacement project phase 5 & 6 construction. Over 17 miles of 2-inch corroded water pipes will be fixed by replacing with them with larger 4- and 6-inch piping designed for long-term use. This will provide better quality water to approximately 12,000 residences. It is the final phase of a six phase project expected to be completed by 2022 with a total estimated project cost of $14.8M. The first phase is complete and have been completed, these projects were funded with loans through this program as well.
Florida’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) with joint funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Florida. DWSRF programs operate around the country to provide states and communities the resources necessary to maintain and improve the infrastructure that protects our valuable water resources nationwide. Florida’s DWSRF program has awarded more than $273 million in funding for 62 for drinking water improvement projects during the past five years for a total of $925 million in loan funds since its inception in 1998. The program provides low-interest loans to eligible entities for planning, designing and constructing water pollution control facilities.
