Our local environment, human waste and septic tanks in City of Lake Worth and suburban areas.

Is there a map showing where all the communities still on septic are located? How many homes are still on septic in the City of Lake Worth? How many septic tanks are there in suburban areas in near proximity to Lake Osborne? Could the lake and feeder canals be at risk of a slimy toxic blue-green algae bloom?

Below is more information about this situation.

The good news is there is a map being compiled for the location of all septic tanks in our City and suburban areas. So stay tuned for that information. In the meantime. . .

Septic tanks in City of Lake Worth and suburban areas west near the County’s John Prince Park and our local treasure: Lake Osborne.

There is more good news to pass on.

From a City Commission meeting last March we learned from Lake Worth’s Water Utilities Director, Mr. Brian Shields, P.E., that the last of five properties still on septic in a small area in the northwestern area of the City, east of I-95, will have the opportunity to tie into the City sewer system without an assessment, which is very good news for those property owners.

You can watch and listen to Dir. Shields and the City Commission for yourself in the video below, courtesy of the City of Lake Worth.

This is happening because the Meritage Homes housing development, to the north of that tiny area still on septic, is doing their own underground sewer line work, using their own contractor — and the City will not have to go out and find their own contractor to do the work — which in some cases can be a very long and costly process. Plus once this sewer line work is complete, the water lines will be fixed if needed, or replaced, and the road can then be upgraded using the Neighborhood Road Bond program.

The situation west of I-95 in this City, east of John Prince Park and in the nearby suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth areas, it appears to be a much different situation. There was concern expressed that septic tanks may be reaching that point in time when they no longer work properly, or maybe already are leaking sewage into the high water tables in that area, which would pose an environmental threat to Lake Osborne located in the County’s John Prince Park.

Lake Worth Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso requested a map be produced by the Lake Worth Water Utility to show exactly where all of these septic tanks are located. That map has not yet been completed but should be forthcoming in the near future.

Please note: Mr. Shields begins his presentation at the 31:30 mark in this video (if for some reason the
video doesn’t begin at that point):

Hope you found the information above helpful, especially if the environment, infrastructure, and public health is very important to you and your family.

Now let’s digress for a moment. . .

Whilst on the topic of water, below is more information for everyone planning a future visit to South Florida, maybe already planning your Winter event schedule, and especially families frightened by the poor, unhealthy water quality in the St. Lucie River and lagoon to the east. . .

Plan your visit to the City of Lake Worth in Palm Beach County to play, fish, canoe, and kayak in our Lake Worth Lagoon!

There is news below about the Lake Worth Lagoon (aka, the Intracoastal Waterway) from reporter Willie Howard, who many of you will recall was formerly a beat reporter at The Palm Beach Post, who covered the City of Lake Worth beat for many years.

Many of you will be pleased to learn Mr. Howard is a reporter for The Coastal Star and he recently took home a first- and second-place award for “Excellence in Journalism”. The Coastal Star collected, “[S]ix first-, three second- and six third-place awards in the 66th annual Excellence in Journalism Competition sponsored by the Florida Press Club.”

Mr. Howard won a first-place award in the category of “Sports” and “Environmental News”. To read the entire article titled, “Along the Coast: A raft of press awards for The Coastal Star” click on this link.

Here is an excerpt from this blog of a news segment by reporter Willie Howard, “Paddling the habitats of Lake Worth Lagoon”:


Anglers fishing around the islands of the central lagoon can catch snook, mangrove snapper, barracuda, sheepshead and small bait fish along with the occasional redfish and spotted sea trout.
     Restoration islands near the Lake Avenue Bridge include the Snook Islands project, completed in 2005 (and later expanded); the two Grassy Flats islands on the east side of the lagoon near the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course; Bryant Park Wetlands islands south of the bridge near Lake Worth’s Bryant Park; and the Jewel Cove project southeast of the bridge across from Lake Worth Beach.
     To date, the county has overseen 49 environmental restoration projects in the Lake Worth Lagoon, the 20-mile-long estuary that stretches from Ocean Ridge to North Palm Beach.


Whilst you plan your upcoming Winter event schedule or annual Snowbird migration come stay in Palm Beach County! Here is news datelined October 2nd, 2018 from journalist Frank Licari:


Today we’re discovering a city that’s not just hip — it’s historic too! Of course, we’re talking about the City of Lake Worth or L-Dub as the kids call it. We’ll jump into the city’s happening arts scene, visit an ocean front restaurant with postcard perfect views and check out an historic playhouse that JUST may be haunted. Are you ready? Then let’s go — On the Town in The Palm Beaches.


This little City of Lake Worth, Florida, would be thrilled to be your host: