The Riviera Beach City Council, in a decisive action, terminated Utilities Director Michael Low after a prolonged investigation into contaminated water reports. According to CBS12 News, the unanimous vote came yesterday night following revelations of fecal contamination in the city's water supply that went unreported to the public for months.
Last January, residents were informed that fecal matter had been detected in two of the city's wells seven months prior. This delay in reporting, and a lack of immediate public alert, was a central issue for the council. The utility officials initially claimed bacteria never reached the drinking supply, however, health officials reported otherwise. The city council has scheduled a vote to appoint an interim director while also voting for the Palm Beach County Health Department to impose an approximate $80,000 fine on the Utility Special District.
Further scrutiny revealed earlier issues had been identified, with WPTV reporting findings of fecal bacteria contamination as far back as June of last year. Despite the discovery, the public was not notified until the following January. This lag in communication under the watch of Director Low spurred the council to act against the director, voting 4-0 for his removal.
In the wake of these events, Steven Doyle, the Assistant Executive Director is expected to take on the role, though formal proceedings are still underway. Investigations highlighted that the city had previously misconceived test results as false positives, opting against standard retesting protocols. Moreover, the federal Environmental Protection Agency discovered significant infrastructure failures,, such as leaking pumps and flaws in well casings last October. The succession and further actions in response to these revelations are still developing.
