WEST PALM BEACH, FLA (June 4, 2021) – Officials from the City of West Palm Beach, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health, have lifted the Do Not Drink and Do Not Boil drinking water advisory for infants, young children under the age of six and other vulnerable populations in the City of West Palm Beach, the Town of Palm Beach and the Town of South Palm Beach issued on May 28, 2021.

Water quality samples collected on June 1 and June 2, 2021 showed cylindrospermopsin, a toxin produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), in the tap water at levels below the detection level (< 0.1 micrograms/liter (µg/L)) for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s laboratory. The levels are less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national Health Advisory Level for vulnerable populations that is set at 0.7 µg/L. Residents may resume using the tap water for all purposes.

Cylindrospermopsin, a toxin produced by cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae), was detected in the tap water at levels from 1.0 µg/L to 1.5 µg/L between May 17 and May 26, 2021, exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national Health Advisory Levels for vulnerable populations that is set at 0.7 µg/L. A drinking water advisory was in place for 8  days.

The City of West Palm Beach responded to reduce levels of blue-green algae and cylindrospermopsin in the following ways: Isolating and treating the bloom in the western portion of the M-Canal until all visible signs of the bloom were gone, initiating operation of the emergency wellfields to provide an algae-free source of water, closing of the Australian Avenue Gates and operating the Australian Avenue Pump Station, initiating addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC), increasing post-chlorine dosage following the filters, and switching to free chlorine within the treatment and distribution systems.

It is recommended that customers in the vulnerable populations flush their water systems for 5-10 minutes if they have not been in routine use during the advisory by running all hot water taps and then cold-water taps. Open any remaining fixtures such as hose bibs, external faucets or fixtures not used for drinking for at least 5 minutes to finish the plumbing system flushing.

Customers in the vulnerable population should change water filters including the one on your refrigerator if you have an ice maker/water dispenser. Throw away all ice. Empty and clean any devices or small appliances (vaporizer/humidifier, CPAP, pet water, coffee makers, other health care devices) that may have come into contact with the water during the advisory, and throw out any food, drinks, baby formulas and medicines that were made with, or came into contact with the water during the advisory.

The City will also be increasing its routine sampling activities for the cyanotoxin levels in both the raw water and finished water. The City, based on raw water and finished water monitoring results, will utilize PAC and post-chlorine use to reduce levels in the tap water.

Members of the public wanting additional information about this event are encouraged to call the city’s hotline: (561) 822-2222 or visit the city’s website wpb.org.