As a large urban county, Palm Beach County faces challenges on a very broad scale, which include growth management, affordable housing, homelessness, transportation and infrastructure funding. The county’s 39 municipalities rely on our planning, policies and codes to help guide future development, enhance public safety, protect environmental resources, and provide access to programs, facilities, and services.

Palm Beach County strives to meet the needs of residents and businesses efficiently and economically, while maintaining the highest standards, and we take pride in staying ahead of the curve with innovative approaches to providing public services. The Water Utilities Department (WUD) is a prime example of this approach.

Water Utilities operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides drinking water and wastewater services to nearly 600,000 customers in the unincorporated areas of the county and the western reaches of District 1. Now 52 years old, it is the largest water utility in Palm Beach County, and the third largest in Florida. WUD - an enterprise fund - is self-supporting through the collection of user fees, and is not reliant upon ad valorem dollars. They are one of the few utilities in the nation to receive AAA bond ratings from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch rating services.

Their utilization of the most up-to-date technologies has resulted in high-quality drinking water, and the treatment of wastewater exceeding federal and state pretreatment guidelines. This level of excellence has earned WUD numerous awards. Most recently, WUD received the honor of being the first water utility in North America certified by the International Organization for Standardization for its continued commitment to managing public assets in accordance with the highest industry standards. At the 2021 Florida Water Environmental Association convention, WUD earned three awards for pretreatment program practices for dealing with industrial discharges, and for maintaining the highest removal of pollutants prior to the discharge of treated effluent.

Environmental stewardship is a priority for WUD. That is why advancement of the reclaimed water program has led to Palm Beach County’s role as the leading supplier of reclaimed water in Southeast Florida. Reclaimed water is wastewater that has been highly treated, filtered and disinfected at the Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility in suburban Boynton Beach, and is safe for irrigation.

The treatment process eliminates harmful substances, but leaves traces of nitrogen and phosphorous that act as fertilizers on lawns and landscapes. WUD distributes the reclaimed water through purple pipes that are completely separate from the drinking water distribution system. Additionally, the captured gases produce electricity.

One million gallons of reclaimed water per day goes to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, a constructed wetland on Jog Road in Delray Beach. Green Cay Wetlands is the second wetland constructed by WUD, and is about 100 acres in size, accepting two to three million gallons per day of reclaimed water. These beautiful wetlands create a valuable wildlife habitat, where the public can observe more than 150 species of birds as well as alligators, rabbits, turtles, otters, foxes and others. Members of the public can walk, bird watch, and photograph on the extensive boardwalk system, which features interpretive signs about the habitat.

Among the greatest benefits of the County’s Reclaimed Water Program is the ability to irrigate, while conserving our fresh drinking water supplies. Reclaimed water is less expensive than drinking water, it helps lawns, parks, and golf courses stay green, it is not subject to water restrictions for irrigation, and it helps to recharge ground water aquifers.

The South Florida Water Management District strongly supports the Reclaimed Water Program, and has urged local governments to increase the portion of water supplies derived from alternative sources, in order to comply with consumptive use permit regulations.

As a leader in the water utility industry, WUD is meeting the challenges of providing an abundant supply of fresh, high-quality drinking water for the future, and setting an example for other communities.

As always, if I can assist you, please contact me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.