HomeMy WebLinkAboutLTC 081-2026 - UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATION CLEAN WATERMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
LTC#
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
LETTER TO COMMISSION
Honorable Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission
Eric Carpenter, City Manager Sue, l1t~
February 27 , 2026
UPDATE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF "OPERATION CLEAN WATER"
PROGRAM -#16
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) is to provide the Mayor and City Commission with
a summary of staff's efforts to date, as it relates to "Operation Clean Water," adopted on March
19, 2025, by Resolution No. 2025-33559.
At the July 10, 2025 meeting of the Land Use and Sustainability Committee (LUSC), City staff
provided an update on the North Beach Water Quality and Park View Canal Report. The
discussion concluded with a motion, directing the Administration to provide weekly updates on the
"Operation Clean Water'' efforts at the Park View Canal, with a focus on Biscayne Beach
Elementary hotspots, associated lateral pipe-lining, above-ground cleanliness (alleyways, street
sweeping, pressure washing), and homeless outreach. At the September 11, 2025 LUSC meeting,
Committee members made a motion to move the item to the City Commission for discussion, with
a favorable recommendation to : 1) Authorize an independent, third-party review of the Sanitary
Sewer Pump Station 23; 2) Expand the monthly water quality study to authorize and fund weekly
water testing in Park View Canal; 3) Expedite the comprehensive infrastructure study for North
Beach; and to maintain Park View Canal as a standing item on the Committee's agenda for regular
updates.
At the direction of the City Commission as part of Operation Clean Water, the City of Miami Beach
entered into a formal agreement with the University of Miami (UM) in August of 2025 for the
creation of an Ultraviolet Sanitization Pilot Project with the objective of evaluating whether street
cleaning can reduce levels of enterococci entering the stormwater system. The pilot project aimed
to clean the test area, 73rd Street (a documented street level enterococci "hot spot,") by increasing
the frequency of mechanical street sweeping activities, remove visible debris and fecal deposits
manually, and the use of ultra-violet (UV) light, an environmentally friendly technology that cleans
without leaving a chemical residue, to disinfect street surfaces. The pilot project's cleaning and
testing phases were completed on October 17, 2025. The final report was shared with the City on
January 30, 2026, and reviewed for statistically significant results, recommendations, and next
steps. Key findings in the report indicate enterococci levels are very high on untreated surfaces
(streets and sidewalks); cleaning of these surfaces reduces fecal bacteria concentrations,
particularly with repeated treatments. Street sweeping achieves a material, basin-scale reduction,
and adding sidewalk sweeping extends the benefit, especially under tree canopy hotspots. The
key purpose of the study, however, was to evaluate the effectiveness of UV technologies , and
while the pilot project reveals the practice could be effective in theory or principle, there is
significant engineering needed before the technology can be deployed in a meaningful way. There
are critical real-world limitations like street/sidewalk roughness, UV lamp angle, and obstructions
081-2026
like signposts and benches which all lead to non-uniform exposure, and hence, variability and
limited statistical significance in this short trial. Key study recommendations include the
continuation of aggressive industrial street sweeping, the enforcement of the street parking
schedule in North Beach, instituting sidewalk cleanings (i.e. hotspot targeting to prioritize segments
with heavy bird activity and low sunlight),) and exploring further development of UV technology for
its potential widespread implementation at the city scale. The report is attached to this
memorandum as 'EXHIBIT -B'.
On August 8, 2025, the pipe-lining contractor, Vortex Infrastructure Services, LLC (Vortex),
mobilized at Biscayne Beach Elementary and began cleaning lateral lines and performing closed-
circuit television (CCTV) inspections through existing sewer system access points. The scope of
work that was successfully performed by Vortex included the cleaning of 1,320 LF of pipe, the
lining of approximately 1,100 LF of pipe, the installation and/or replacement of 12 cleanouts, the
performance of 5 point-repairs due to collapsed pipes, rebar obstructions, or cleanout
complications, and the plugging off of cleanout 1 B (CO1 B) in the School's courtyard. All work was
coordinated with the Miami-Dade County School Board and Biscayne Beach Elementary
representatives.
On Saturday, October 4, 2025, a sewer force main break which resulted in sewage being released
onto the school grounds and into the Tatum Waterway near Park View Canal, was reported by a
stakeholder on the grounds of Biscayne Beach Elementary. Public Works Operations staff
promptly responded to the site and successfully bypassed the flows, stopping the overflow.
Repairs were performed, the pipe was placed back into service, and normal pumping operations
resumed. Miami-Dade County Environmental Resources Management (DERM) and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) were notified the same day, in accordance with
County and State Code and City reporting protocols. Once the work was completed, Public Works'
Operations staff returned to the site to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area, including all affected
stormwater systems, and restored the damaged sod and court. An Emergency Purchase
Authorization has been signed for the performance of subaqueous horizontal directional drilling
services from Hawthorne Avenue, under the Tatum Waterway, to the west end of 75th Street, to
connect Pump Station #24 to Pump Station #23. A competitive bid process was conducted, and
Amici Engineering Contractors was determined to be the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.
A purchase order has been issued, and sixty percent design drawings are currently under internal
review. The contractor has initiated the pre-application permit process with the respective local
and State agencies, and the Public Works Department is scheduling a meeting with School Board
representatives, including the School Board's Building Department in order to brief them on the
emergency force main replacement project's scope, schedule, permit requirements, and
Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) work.
Nanobubble technology was identified and reviewed by the Environment and Sustainability
Department, Public Works Departments, and the City Manager's Office as a viable technology for
use in the Park View Canal. The use of nanobubbles can greatly improve water quality in the canal
by using special generators to create tiny bubbles (less than 200 nanometers in size) that stay
suspended in water for a long period of time to help dissolve gases like oxygen, more effectively
in water. This helps to accelerate various physical, chemical, and biological processes, and it can
prevent the buildup of biofilm and scale in the water. These processes also help clean the water
by promoting the breakdown of microbial contaminants, reducing harmful pathogens, algal growth,
and bad odors, ultimately improving overall water quality. At the request of the City Commission
and the subsequent Budget Hearing, staff were directed to explore an initial short-term project to
test how the technology works within the Park View Canal setting and to evaluate the impact of
the technology, which requires design and permitting from environmental regulatory agencies. The
Consultant Service Order for dredging was updated and expanded to include nanobubbles design
and permitting. TYLin, the consultant, held the interdepartmental kickoff meeting on January 7,
2026, following receipt of the change order. A six-month timeframe is anticipated for design and .
permitting , and TYLin additionally advised that the minimum short-term pilot project envisioned at
this time is one-year. The construction phase, which includes the consultant with the customized
equipment and activation, will require further procurement. Additionally, the design process is
underway for dredging as a potential option to aid in the natural flushing of the waterway.
At the September 17, 2025 City Commission meeting, a motion was passed to move forward with
and authorize funding for weekly water testing at up to five locations within Park View Canal. At
the September 30, 2025 City Commission Budget Meeting, $21 ,000 was approved and added to
the Public Works' Stormwater budget for FY26 to fund the sampling effort. The Environment and
Sustainability and Public Works Departments obtained a proposal and executed a purchase order
for the Miami-Dade County sampling contractor, Eurofins Environment Testing, on November 14,
2025, and the weekly sampling began on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Eurofins Environment
Testing is a certified laboratory utilized by the Miami-Dade County Surface Water Quality
Monitoring Program for water quality sampling. The sampling map was developed by the
Environment and Sustainability Department, drawing on known hotspot locations, publicly
accessible shorelines, and input from Dr. Helena Solo-Gabriele, Associate Dean, University of
Miami College of Engineering. There may be an opportunity to adjust sampling points at a later
date to include sampling for additional areas and to collect unique data points. Sampling results
(CMB Results) for enterococci since the previous L TC are attached as 'EXHIBIT -A', and the table
also includes a column for Surfrider Foundation's Miami Chapter Blue Water Task Force (BWTF)
results for water samples they collect at the Park View Canal kayak launch as requested by the
City Comm ission.
There are varying standards for enterococci in marine waters and they are dependent on factors
such as the classification of a water body, flushing rates, and proposed use of the waterways (i.e.
recreation type). The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Healthy Beaches standard for
enterococci is 70 MPN/100ml, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
standard for enterococci in Class Ill Waters is 130 MPN/100ml, and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard for enterococci for kayaking in calm waters is
371 MPN/100ml.
Initial results have demonstrated significant spikes in fecal bacteria levels within the canal after
rain events, particularly during January, further reinforcing the results of the two UM reports on
water quality within the canal being driven by stormwater carrying street-level pollutants into the
gravity stormwater system. Dr. Solo-Gabriele is overseeing a project with her Spring 2026
semester undergraduate students, at no-cost to the City, to evaluate the most recent results from
the weekly testing and identify trends in the data such as rain and tide. The final class presentation
for this class project is expected in May 2026. The sampling map is as follows :
DERM issued a Class II permit for seven Downstream Defender hydrodynamic separator/water
quality structures on Friday August 1, 2025, allowing the City to move forward with the final design
and the procurement process. Construction is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026.
On December 9, 2026, Governor Desantis issued a press release to announce grant awards for
Biscayne Bay Water Quality Improvement Grants. The City of Miami Beach was selected as a
recipient of one of eight grants, in the amount of $426,750 to account for the construction of the
Downstream Defenders along Park View Canal. In the meanwhile, routine maintenance efforts for
the existing stormwater structures from 72nd to 77th Streets, between Dickens Avenue and Collins
Avenue remain ongoing. The Public Works and Communications Departments worked together
on the design and copy of the "FROG can Clog" and "Don't Grease the Streets" public outreach to
decrease contamination to the Bay. As part of the outreach campaign, both designs were
displayed on the side of three waste collection trucks. Below are photographs of two of them:
Stormwater drain markers were ordered and placed throughout Parkview Island and Parkview
extended area (72nd Street -76th Street) at stormwater inlets. Installation of the drain markers at
approximately 100 locations was completed during the week of December 15, 2025. Below is a
sample of the markers installed:
The Sanitation Division continues to provide mechanical and hand-sweeping crews in the Park
View area three (3) times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The Multihog machine
operates on alternating days (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday), focusing on alleyways between
73rd and 76th Streets. Eleven (11) doggie-bag dispensers (which are refilled twice a week) were
installed in the area. The litter collection service frequency in Crab Alley has increased from twice
to three times per week.
The Homeless Outreach Services Team continues to visit the area. If individuals are found,
support services are offered to assist them.
Code Compliance continues to conduct weekly walk-throughs and inspections to check for
sanitation issues such as illegal dumping, overflowing dumpsters, and trash in the alleys in the
North Beach watershed area. All observed violations result in the issuance of a citation for the
creation of a health hazard/nuisance.
The Sanitary Pump Station #23 Assessment is being conducted by CHA, which is one of the City's
consultants for Water and Sewer related work. The assessment will take place over the course of
90 days and will include the following tasks: Data Collection, Field Investigations, Site Analysis,
and Adjacent Infrastructure Analysis. The Sanitary Pump Station #23 Assessment project was
approved by the Procurement Department and a Notice-to-Proceed was given to CHA to start
working on the study. During the project's site visit and kick-off meeting on December 8, 2025,
CHA and the Public Works Department inspected all aspects of the pump mechanical room well
and control/electrical room. Both parties further discussed past efforts of rehabilitation that have
been done to Sewer Pump Station #23 and rehabilitation efforts done on the sewer system in the
area. The site visit was finalized by an inspection of the pump station site and inspection of the
force main aerial crossing located at Bay Drive bridge, and the force main aerial crossing located
at the 71 st Street bridge .
CHA has officially completed the Adjacent Infrastructure Analysis, which reviewed all sanitary and
stormwater infrastructure adjacent to, and near Pump Station #23 which has the potential to affect
the water quality in the Parkview Canal. Public Works will examine the findings when CHA submits
their first draft of the Analysis and the Technical Memorandum for review.
CHA delivered to Public Works the first draft of the Pump Station #23 Study and Adjacent
Infrastructure Analysis on January 20 , 2026. Staff reviewed the report and provided comments to
the consultant. A follow-up meeting with CHA to go over the comments was held on February 4,
2026. CHA is currently addressing comments from the February 4, 2026 meeting with Public
Works, and will be submitting a final draft on March 6, 2026
For more information, contact Rodney Knowles, Assistant Public Works Director at
miamibeachfl. ov.
EXHIBIT-A
Site Name CMB Collection CMB BWTF Collection BWTF
Date/Time Results Date/Time Results
MPN/100mL MPN/100mL
BBE Outfall 02/05/2026 11 :55 AM 738
75th Street End 02/05/2026 11 :45 AM 1,396
Kayak Launch 02/05/2026 11 :32 AM 158 02/05/2026 9: 10 AM 175
73rd Street 02/05/2026 11 :20 AM 161
Bonita Drive 02/05/2026 11 :05 AM 20
BBE Outfall 02/12/2026 01 :10 PM 169
75th Street End 02/12/2026 01 :00 PM 292
Kayak Launch 02/12/2026 12:50 PM 2,613 02/13/2026 7:30 AM 1421
73rd Street 02/12/2026 12:55 PM 3,448
Bonita Drive 02/12/2026 12:40 PM 8,164