City of Lake Worth Beach Achieves Non-Lead Designation for Water System in Compliance with EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

LAKE WORTH BEACH, Florida -- In alignment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), the City of Lake Worth Beach is pleased to announce that its water system has achieved a non-lead designation. This accomplishment places Lake Worth Beach at the forefront of water safety and regulatory compliance.

The EPA’s updated LCRR, issued in January 2021, mandates that all Public Water Systems (PWS) submit a detailed Service Line Inventory by October 16, 2024. To ensure the highest level of accuracy, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) further requires a 90% confidence level in identifying non-lead service lines.

To fulfill these requirements, the City partnered with Mock•Roos, a consulting engineering firm, to conduct the inventory of the City’s 14,722 service connections. The initial phase involved reviewing records, plumbing permits, and data on structures’ construction dates. This preliminary analysis established approximately 9,500 service lines as non-lead. For the remaining 5,222 connections, Mock•Roos engaged BlueConduit, a firm specializing in predictive analytics, to build a model that assessed the likelihood of lead presence.

BlueConduit's predictive model, combined with Mock•Roos's Geographic Information System (GIS) data, identified 400 service locations for field verification. Field inspections confirmed no visible lead, allowing Mock•Roos and BlueConduit to conclude with 95% confidence that the entire system can be classified as non-lead.

Moving forward, the City will continue to monitor and verify its service lines to uphold this designation. Annual updates to the Service Line Inventory will be available as new data arises, and the City will proactively verify any remaining unknown lines. In line with the LCRR, the City has printed the EPA Service Line Inventory and supporting documents, available at City Hall for the public to review. Water Utilities customers will be informed of the SLI’s availability in future Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs), starting in 2025.

About Lake Worth Beach

Lake Worth Beach is a dynamic coastal city located in Palm Beach County, Florida, known for its vibrant arts scene, historic charm, and beautiful coastline. Committed to fostering a sustainable and inclusive community, Lake Worth Beach is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all its residents. For more information on the City of Lake Worth Beach visit https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov.