Singer Island beach closes after excessive levels of bacteria found in water
Riviera Municipal Beach on Singer Island has been closed to swimmers after a Florida Department of Health review found unsafe levels of a bacteria tied to fecal contamination.
The city alerted residents to the beach closure Wednesday through a posting on its X social media account, which read: "Riviera Municipal Beach on Singer Island is closed to swimmers due to "poor" water quality from enterococci bacteria. Testing is ongoing, and updates will follow in 48 hours. Please avoid entering the water until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation!"
A state DOH notification to Riviera Beach noted that, as part of its Florida Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program, it is testing 13 beaches in Palm Beach County on a weekly basis for enterococci bacteria, which is normally found in the intestinal tract of humans and animals and can cause disease, infections or rashes.
Only the water off Riviera Municipal Beach was found to have excessive levels of enterococci bacteria.
DOH measured the bacteria's presence in parts per 100 milliliters, with 35 or less being good, 36-70 being moderate and 71 or higher being poor. The sample taken off Riviera Municipal Beach measured at 146 parts per 100 milliliter, DOH said.
The measurement prompted an advisory to the city, which DOH said in bold and underlined text "should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public."
DOH's advisory to Riviera Beach said the presence of the bacteria "is an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from storm water runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage."
Positive tests and late notification of fecal contaminants in the city's drinking water has angered and frightened residents and elected officials in Riviera Beach. The director of the city's Utility Special District, which oversees Riviera Beach's 67-year water treatment facility, angrily stormed out of a public meeting in July and was then relieved of his duties by the City Council.
Neither DOH nor the city have given any indication that the enterococci bacteria found at Riviera Municipal Beach and the 2023 positive tests for fecal contamination in drinking water are related. The city, which is exploring ways to pay for a water treatment plant that could cost at least $350 million, has long insisted that the drinking water is safe to consume.
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Water off Singer Island beach flunks DOH test; beach closed
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