Operations: The Public Utilities Department operates laboratories at two separate locations; the Water Plant and the East Central Region Wastewater Reclamation Facility.

The Water Plant Laboratory: is primarily concerned with ensuring City supplied water is safe and aesthetically pleasing. The quality of treated water is monitored by testing samples at several stages during the treatment process. We also collect samples for testing from various sites throughout customer locations. We send some samples to an independent laboratory for conformation testing.

Contaminates that may be present in our water source include:

• Microbial contaminates, viruses and bacteria stemming from septic systems and agricultural operations.



• Inorganic contaminates: Salt and metals which occur naturally or because of urban storm run off



• Pesticides and herbicides: from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.



• Organic chemicals: by-products from industrial processes and petroleum production, gas stations and urban storm water runoff.



• Radioactive contaminates; naturally occurring contaminates such as gross alpha. The Water Plant Laboratory conducts in excess of 75,000 tests each year to ensure the quality of your drinking water.

The outcomes of water sample tests are forwarded to the Palm Beach County Department of Health for review

Every West Palm Beach water consumer receives an Annual Water Quality Report that provides test results across the full range of our testing requirements. Click Here to read more.

The Laboratory located at the East Central Region Wastewater Reclamation Facility focuses on two key issues; the wastewater process itself and the quality of processed water discharged to the environment.

Tests to determine oxygen demand, total suspended solids and various solid tests, to include TVS, TVSS, TDS and total solids provided indications as to the efficiency and thoroughness of the wastewater process. This knowledge enables licensed operators to make adjustments to improve the wasting process

We pump some processed wastewater to the Wetlands Based Wastewater Reclamation Facility where it undergoes further processes that reduce nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), BOD, TSS, and bacteria. The effluent is disinfected with ultra-violet light and is pumped to the Wetlands for further, natural cleansing. This thrice cleanses water will be pumped to the Wetlands Based Well Field where it will enhance the surfacial aquifer and be available for reuse.

Structure: a supervisor and three laboratory technicians man both laboratory sites.

Industrial Pre-Treatment

Collecting a sample. Preparing a sample for shipment: (See picures below)

Mission: To monitor and control pollutants entering the City of West Palm Beach sewer system from commercial establishments, hospitals and industry.

Operations: The objectives of the Industrial Pre-treatment Program (IPP) are to prevent "Pollutants of Concern," from entering the wastewater plant in sufficient quantity to: pass through the wasting process without being sufficiently diluted, interfere with the treatment process itself, endanger plant operators or contaminate wastewater plant residuals.

In addition to the "pollutants of concern" from non-domestic sources, grease from commercial establishments presents a significant problem for both the wastewater plant and the sewer lines. Grease build-up, which readily occurs, causes blockage in our sewer lines. Click here to read more.

Duties: Industrial Pre-Treatment (IP) personnel monitor self-generated industrial reports that identify the "pollutants of concern," associated with each customer and the amounts of those materials entering the sewer system. When established limits are exceeded, IP personnel ensure efforts to mitigate the problem are initiated.

IP personnel conduct visits to customers and inspect processes for diluting "pollutants of concern" before they enter the sewage system or processes for filtering those pollutants out of the company effluent. Likewise, commercial establishments are inspected for the proper operation of grease traps and interceptors..

The Public Utilities Department, Laboratory Services unit, analyzes effluent samples taken from each customer. Outcomes are reported to the customer and are entered into customer records maintained by the Industrial Pre-treatment unit.

Permits: Each Industrial / Commercial user that discharges effluent into the sewer system of West Palm Beach for ultimate processing by the East Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility must be permitted to do so. Permits are obtained through the City of West Palm Beach Building Department.