Palm Beach Civic Association kick off season with water quality panel

Water quality will take center stage this week during the Palm Beach Civic Association's Welcome Back Community Update.

Slated for Nov. 7 at the Mandel Recreation Center, the 81st season event kicks off at 10 a.m. with remarks from Town Council President Bobbie Lindsay.

After that, Civic Association Chairman and CEO Michael Pucillo will kick off a two-part panel discussing the different sources of potable water and the water treatment alternative the town is currently reviewing.

“We will hear from experts on both the current water source for town water and potential alternatives,” Pucillo said. “We will also discuss current and alternative water treatment options, and the pros and cons associated with each. Our hope is that this forum will give town residents a better understanding of the issues the town is facing as it looks to obtain a reliable source of water going forward.”

The town currently receives its potable water from West Palm Beach under a contract set to expire in 2029, though Palm Beach officials are weighing whether to renew the contract.

Moderated by Pucillo, the panel will begin with a discussion on the security issues tied with surface water sources, led by retired Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter, founder and security strategist at Michael Reiter and Associates.

The second part of the program will feature Everglades Law Center Policy Director Lisa Interlandi and John Potts, senior consultant with Kimley-Horn and Associates, the firm that led Palm Beach’s potable water review. They are expected to detail West Palm Beach’s water source and treatment system, the town’s current supplier, as well as discussing sources and treatment methods the town could consider.

Currently, Palm Beach officials are weighing two options, either continuing with West Palm Beach and collaborating on a membrane-technology upgrade to its treatment plant, or contracting with the city of Lake Worth Beach to provide water.

Town Council members have called the membrane filtration essential to the town’s future water supply. While Lake Worth Beach’s water supply has a membrane filtration system, council members have noted that switching the town's water source would require extensive construction to connect it to the Lake Worth Beach’s water system.

The Welcome Back Community Update is sponsored by Innovate Palm Beach. The event is open to Civic Association members and residents.

Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected].