water

Miami Beach Lost Half Its Sewage Capacity. Age Was Partly To Blame

By Jenny Staletovich • Mar 10, 2020

Miami Beach joined the ranks of South Florida cities battling aging sewer systems when three sewer line breaks knocked out half the city’s sewer capacity last week, dumping nearly 1.4 million gallons of raw sewage into Biscayne Bay.

After a driller working on a Florida Power & Light drainage well ruptured a 42-inch main line near Lincoln Road, pressure shifted to a frail, 30-inch line installed a half century ago, Public Works Director Roy Coley said Tuesday.

Sewer Line Breaks Prompt Swimming and Water Use Warnings for Miami Beach, Surfside and Bal Harbour

By Jenny Staletovich • Mar 5, 2020

Residents of Miami Beach, Surfside and Bal Harbour Village are being warned to steer clear of some waterways and reduce water use after three sewer line breaks this week.

A 3-Decade-Long Water Dispute Heads To The Supreme Court

By Debbie Elliott & Greg Allen • Jan 7, 2020

For three decades, Georgia and Florida have been battling over how to share a precious resource: water. Georgia has it, and Florida, which is downstream, says it's not getting its fair share. The dispute is once again headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where Florida wants the justices to cap Georgia's water use. But a court-appointed special master recently rejected that idea.

More than 6 million people depend on water that starts at Lake Lanier, a reservoir northeast of Atlanta. It generates hydropower as its water is released from a dam into the Chattahoochee River.

Another Sewer Main Break In Rio Vista Neighborhood

By DOUG PHILLIPS • Dec 20, 2019

The plague of sewer main breaks in Fort Lauderdale continued Friday with word of another break in the Rio Vista neighborhood.

Shortly after 5 a.m. the city announced that a sewer main break happened near Virginia Young Park, 1000 SE Ninth Ave.

The location is just north of the Tarpon River. Another leak, that happened earlier this month, was to the south along Ponce De Leon Dr.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates.

Florida Reviews Water Quality Limits Every 3 Years. The Public Has Until Friday To Chime In

By Jenny Staletovich • Nov 18, 2019

Floridians have until Friday to weigh in on whether the state should set limits for toxic algae in water.

Florida is required to conduct reviews of water quality standards every three years under the federal Clean Water Act. This year, the state’s blue green algae task force and environmentalists have been lobbying for standards to address regular toxic outbreaks in the St. Lucie, Caloosahatchee and other Florida waterways.

The Water Is Already Low At A Florida Freshwater Spring, But Nestlé Wants More

By Greg Allen • Nov 8, 2019

In Florida, Nestlé is taking heat from environmental groups and others concerned about the future of one of the state's most endangered natural resources — its freshwater springs. Florida has more than a thousand freshwater springs, which provide drinking water, important natural habitat and places for recreation. Nestlé wants to begin taking more than a million gallons of water each day from Ginnie Springs, a popular destination in north Florida for swimming, canoeing and tubing.

South Florida Company Addressing Algal Blooms With Plastic Beads

By Alejandra Martinez • Nov 5, 2018

A South Florida environmental technology company has a plan to fight the state's blue-green algae problems with microscopic plastic beads.

Green Water Solution is one of four finalists for the George Barley Water Prize, a $10 million award started by the Everglades Foundation to address toxic algae blooms through new technologies. The prize is intended to fund a technology that can be used around the globe to reduce phosphorus contamination in water.

St. Pete Settles Clean Water Act Lawsuit Over Sewage Releases

By Julio Ochoa • Oct 16, 2018

St. Petersburg leaders have settled a lawsuit filed by environmental groups in 2016 after the city released millions of gallons of sewage into Tampa Bay.

Off Your Mental Game? You Could Be Mildly Dehydrated

By Allison Aubrey • Jul 30, 2018

Was it hard to concentrate during that long meeting? Does the crossword seem a little tougher? You could be mildly dehydrated.

A growing body of evidence finds that being just a little dehydrated is tied to a range of subtle effects — from mood changes to muddled thinking.

Citrus Grove Repurposed As 'Water Farm' Protects South Florida Estuaries From Toxic Algae Bloom

By Claire Thornton • Jul 10, 2018

Courtesy of the South Florida Water Management District

From inside their massive headquarters in West Palm Beach, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) regulates the natural flow of water from Orlando to the Keys. Using canals and water-holding sites, officials are trying to prevent the types of algae blooms that led Governor Scott to declare a state of emergency in seven counties on Monday.

Waterborne Illnesses Are Most Prevalent During July: Here’s What You Need To Know

By editor • Jul 5, 2018

July is peak season for getting sick from swimming in a freshwater lake or pond, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center study.

Weekend Storytelling Event Celebrates Water In South Florida

By Kate Stein • Mar 22, 2018

An event at Biscayne National Park this weekend celebrates water -- and storytellers who want to make a splash.

As part of its 50th anniversary, the park is hosting a storytelling contest. Before a live audience and a panel of judges, participants will tell short, real-life stories that include water -- sparkling or still, salty or fresh.

The event is open to the public and will take place 7 p.m. Saturday outside the park's Dante Fascell Visitors Center, 9700 SW 328th St. in Homestead.