After delay costs utility $150 million, decision pauses solution to yellow water (2024)

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — After fielding complaints over yellow water and fecal bacteria within Riviera Beach’s Special Utility District, a potential solution is potentially paused after the board fired its executive director Wednesday night.

WPTV was the first to report Utility Director Michael Low was removed from his position from the utility, which serves Riviera Beach and surrounding areas. It comes after we’ve reported on various issues within their water utility over the last seven months.

The city of Riviera Beach, which also serves over the utility, has continually pushed a new water treatment plant as a solution to systemic problems. But the project is now paused since the man leading the utility’s effort was removed.

The project, which was originally supposed to start construction in 2023, is still in the design phase. This occurred after the board voted to pause on picking a design after consultants paid by the city couldn’t provide a baseline cost for three different designs in April.

WPTV’s Ethan Stein also found the cost for the water plant doubled from about $150 million to $300 million after delays with construction. City staff said it couldn’t afford the new price tag in April, which means the utility will need to raise rates on customers if it can’t get grants.

Councilmember Dr. Glen Spirits said he was concerned about removing Low because it would delay the project. He said Low was leading the design efforts for the city, which cost $16 million.

“I don’t know if it makes sense to change horses in the middle of the race,” Spirits said. “…We’re throwing somebody out in the middle of a $16 million design project. What happens? Are we going to be at a standstill right now and put the water plant off for two years or are we going to keep moving right now and try to get this water plant done as fast as we can because this will stop the design work without any question.”

WATCH: Plans for the new water treatment plant

Riviera Beach water treatment plant mockup

Low was removed in unanimous vote with Councilmember KaShamba Miller-Anderson missing the vote because she stepped outside. Before the vote, WPTV captured Low remove the tablecloth off the table, pack his belongings, leave his city cell phone and say goodbye to other members of city staff.

WATCH: Michael Low's goodbye

Riviera Beach utility director says goodbye

The current water treatment plant is 25 years older than its lifespan, according to Councilmember Douglas Lawson. However, Low was fired after the utility faced an $80,000 fine from the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County.

Records show the health department found the city broke state laws 13 times when it waited seven months to respond to a water contamination in June. WPTV’s Ethan Stein uncovered emails from a public records request showing the city believed the contamination was a “false positive,” yet didn’t use standard test practices to confirm their theory.

Emails show this occurred because employees were scared due to threats from other customers. Our chief investigator Jamie Ostroff discovered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found holes in well casings, leaking pumps and plants growing out of equipment in October 2023, four months after the positive tests for water contamination.

We’ve also found other positive tests for water contamination, which the city said are false positives.

Assistant Director Steven Doyle said the utility deals with a similar number of emergencies as a fire department at Wednesday night’s meeting. Low also said a new water treatment plant wouldn’t solve the issues within the utility alone.

“The issues within the district go way beyond just wanting a water plant,” he said on Wednesday night.

A spokesperson for the city of Riviera Beach said it had “no updates” after Wednesday night’s meeting, but it would release new information in the future.

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