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In March of 2025 the City of Miami Beach launched Operation Clean Water to amplify the all-hands on deck efforts to improve water quality around the Park View Canal. Canals commonly face water quality challenges due to urban runoff and limited flushing. While the most recent water quality study shows significant improvements from these actions, there are many more strategies underway. Below is a summary of the efforts in 2025 and future plans for 2026.

Weekly Water Quality Testing

The City Commission approved weekly water sampling at five locations along the Park View Canal for FY2026. The five locations were selected based off known hotspots, publicly accessible shorelines, and input from the water expert team including Dr. Solo-Gabriele from the University of Miami, the city’s research partner in analyzing and addressing enterococci challenges in the canal. The city is utilizing Eurofins Environmental Testing, a certified laboratory used by Miami-Dade County Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program. Sampling results (CMB Results) for enterococci for the month of December are shown in the table below, 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 Commission:

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 (such as Park View Canal) is 130 MPN/100ml, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard for enterococci for kayaking in calm waters is 371 MPN/100ml.

The sampling map is as follows:

For more information and updates on water quality advisories please visit the Park View Canal website. Miami Beach Rising Above - Park View Canal

Sanitary Pump Station #23 Assessment

An assessment of sanitary pump station #23, located near the canal, is being performed to validate prior infrastructure evaluation to assess whether there may be previously unidentified leaks. The work will be conducted by CHA, and will take place over the course of 90 days and will include four tasks: data collection, field investigations, site analysis and adjacent infrastructure analysis. The tasks will focus on gathering baseline information and understanding the pump's infrastructure and operational history. Inspecting the pump station's mechanical and structural components to evaluate their condition. Then analyzing all of the information gathered and identify the most probable factors contributing to bacteria exceedances if there are any and develop targeted recommendations.

Dredging and Nanobubbles

Park View Canal is an angled and narrow canal with very limited natural flushing to dilute pollutants from stormwater runoff. Dredging may improve water quality by increasing the flushing of the waterway; the design and permitting is underway. Nanobubbles is a technology new to Southeast Florida and is planned for 2026 to help dissolve gases like oxygen more effectively in water. This helps accelerate natural processes that clean the water by promoting the breakdown of microbial contaminants, reducing harmful pathogens, algal growth, and bad odors, ultimately improving overall water quality. The technology has been used in the State Florida and globally, however it will be the first of its kind in Miami-Dade County.

Nanobubbles design and permitting was approved by commission for FY2026 and a purchase order has been issued with a six-month timeframe. TY Lin is the consultant for design and permitting. Updates will be provided as the project progress.

Biscayne Beach Elementary School

The City has completed a relining and rehabilitation of sewer lateral lines within Biscayne Beach Elementary School property. This should help prevent exfiltration and groundwater contamination.

On October 4, 2025, a sewer force main broke at the elementary school. A "No Contact with Water" advisory was placed on Park View Canal and the Tatum Waterway, and crews repaired the break. Daily sampling and water testing was conducted until two consecutive test results were within the local regulatory parameters. The "No Contact with Water" advisory was lifted on October 16, 2025.

The sewer force main was installed in 1981 and was projected to have a useful life of approximately 50 years and was originally scheduled to be replaced in 2031. However, due to the corrosive elements of Miami Beach's tidal-influence environment the force main failed before its useful life and will be replaced as an emergency project.

Ultraviolet Light Disinfection Pilot

Miami Beach partnered with the University of Miami to conduct a pilot study using UV sterilizers to kill bacteria in the stormwater runoff. This study was conducted along 73 Street, between Harding and Abbott Avenue, and was tested on September 19 and 26, and was completed on October 17. The collected samples are being tested and analyzed, and the results will be published in early 2026 to determine the efficacy of the study.

Street Sanitation

Street sanitation has been increased significantly this past year with a number of initiatives.

Code compliance officers conduct weekly walk-throughs in North Beach watershed area. These inspections and assessments help with enforcement and to check for sanitation issues such as illegal dumping, overflowing dumpsters and trash in alleyways. Assessments were conducted on 70 blocks in the North Beach area between June 1, 2025, through August 31, 2025. These assessments resulted in 2,392 block assessments with each block assessed approximately 30 times. Findings include the following: 

• 84% of street assessments indicated litter visible
• 72% of sidewalk assessments indicated litter visible
• 17% of alley assessment indicated litter/trash and/or illegal dumping visible
• 6% of alley assessments indicated unkept infrastructure
• 56% of shoreline assessments indicated litter/trash visible
• 10% of private infrastructure assessment indicated private drain leading to street

Additionally, Sanitation crews have been cleaning the mangroves; once a week along 72 and 73 streets, and three times a week at Crab Alley. Crews have been equipped with an extended-reach pick-up sticks to improve access in the mangroves.

Hand-sweeping crews and mechanical sweeping are conducted three times per week in

the Park View area (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The Multihog machine operates

on alternating days (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday), focusing on alleyways between

73 and 76 Streets.

Stormwater Management

One of the main drivers of canal water quality challenges is stormwater runoff, which picks up pollution from sidewalks, streets and other sources. Educational stormwater drain markers were ordered and placed throughout Parkview Island and North Beach (72-76 streets) at stormwater inlets.

Downstream Defenders are being installed in the Park View Canal outfalls to minimize pollutants from stormwater runoff.

The Miami-Dade County Environmental Resource Management Department approved Class II permits for seven Downstream Defenders. The City is now moving forward with the final design and procurement; installation is planned for the first quarter of 2026. Downstream Defenders have been installed in other parts of Miami Beach to minimize pollutants from stormwater runoff.

Pick Up After Your Pet

Pet waste can take a huge toll on public health and the environment if not cleaned up and disposed of properly. If pet waste enters the waterways, it affects water quality because it contains bacteria as well as nitrogen and phosphorous, which can deplete the oxygen that marine life needs to survive.

Pet owners are required by city code Sec. 10-13 to pick up after their pets and will be issued a citation for violating. To encourage pet owners to pick up their waste the city has provided a number of doggie-dispenser bags near dog parks and public green spaces. In Park View Island and surrounding areas, these dispensers are refilled twice a week and waste is collected daily. Please call Code Compliance at 305.604.CITY (2489) to report violations.

Water Quality Webpage

The City has published the Water Quality webpage to provide a resource for residents and visitors for information about water recreation, pollution prevention, and water sampling and testing. Follow the link to learn about water protection and improvements. Water Quality - City of Miami Beach

Looking Ahead

Operation Clean Water will continue through 2026, with ongoing projects and with new ones to begin. In the year ahead residents can expect:

• Regular updates about the water sampling in the Park View Canal
• Assessments and evaluations of pump station #23 and related infrastructure in Park View Canal area
• Updates and timelines for the proposed dredging of Park View Canal and the installation of nanobubble technology
• Replacement of sewer force mains near Park View Canal
• A review of the efficacy of the UV light pilot study
• Continued street cleaning and sanitation services, and code compliance inspections for residents and businesses in the area
• Installation of downstream defenders to help prevent stormwater runoff pollution
• Improvements to water quality in the area

Contact

For more information, please contact the North Beach Neighborhood Affairs Coordinator, Nicholas Levy at, nicholaslevy@miamibeachfl.gov.

To learn more about the city’s projects and innovative initiatives, visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/NAD.

To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (5-day notice required), information on access for persons with disabilities, and/or any accommodation to review any document or participate in any city-sponsored proceedings, call 305.604.2ADA (2232) (voice), select 1 (English) or 2 (Spanish) and leave a message with your request. TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service). You can also make requests online at www.miamibeachfl.gov/ada by selecting ADA request.