Page 10 - Abacoa Community News - September '23

Page 10, Abacoa
Government

Northern Notes

Culverts – Integral Parts Of A rest of our system. The same concept applies to culverts.
Culverts allow stormwater to move underground from
Stormwater System place to place. They can connect one lake to another or
road drains to a lake. They can move water from one
By Katie Roundtree, location to another to dry out an area for development
Director of Finance and or ensure safe travel along roadways.
Administration, Northern Several types of culverts exist and are widely used
Palm Beach County today, such as box culverts, arch culverts, and bridge
Improvement District culverts to name a few. The most commonly used are pipe
Culverts are an integral culverts. Used for drainage or electrical routing, these do we stop these potential issues? Maintenance is key!
part of s tormwater tunnel-like structures are buried alongside or underneath Regular inspections and cleaning help avoid disruption
infrastructure across roadways. Pipes are made using various materials such as or costly repairs.
Florida. These often- metal, concrete or plastic and vary in length and diameter. The staff at Northern work diligently to provide
hidden structures have Many years ago, most of the existing drainage systems routine inspections and maintenance to our drainage
shaped Florida’s landscape utilized CMP (corrugated metal pipe). However, due to systems. Inspections can be performed using cameras
by creating areas for growth fluctuating water levels these pipes often succumb to atop remote operated vehicles (ROV) or by trained divers.
and development. But what is a culvert? Where are they? corrosion. To combat this issue, CMP pipes are replaced If a threat to the lifespan and operation of the culvert is
What do they do? In this article we will dive into the with HDPE (high density polyethylene), a plastic found, it can be remediated with cleaning or repairing.
world of culverts and how they relate to Northern Palm designed to be chemical and erosion resistant, or RCP So, what can we do to help our communities preserve
Beach County Improvement District’s abilities to provide (reinforced concrete) in a load-bearing capacity, for culvert systems? Keep storm drains free of debris, refrain
exceptional services to the communities we manage. example under roads with heavy traffic. HDPE or concrete from dumping any chemicals into the waterways and most
Culverts are similar to the water pipes used to provide culverts are the best options for drainage purposes, due important of all, report any areas of concern to the district.
water to a house. Pipes underground allow water to be to their cost-effectiveness and longevity. Together, we can ensure our stormwater infrastructure
channeled from a water source into your home or garden. Culverts are designed with life spans of 30 to 100 will remain intact for years to come.
Or another example, just like our bodies, the stormwater years. However, due to stressors such as environmental Special thanks to our Operations Supervisor –
system has arteries, a heart, and flow. Our culverts are conditions and increased usage, these systems can fail Stormwater Greg Sale for his contributions to this article
the veins and pump stations are the hearts. If our veins causing contamination, leaks or even sinkholes. So how and Kim Morgan, for drafting the article.
are clogged our heart works harder and puts stress on the

Commissioner’s

Update

Recycling Right

By Commissioner
Maria Marino
The mission of the
Solid Waste Authority
(SWA), for which I
serve as vice chair, is
to manage the materials
discarded by residents
and businesses of Palm
Beach County according
to legislative mandate
and following applicable
local, state and federal ordinances, regulations and laws.
Our goal is to reduce the amount of waste that goes
to landfills for disposal, and provide services that are
environmentally responsible and fiscally sound. An
important part of meeting that goal is our recycling
program. This involves separating materials from the
waste stream, either at the source or by recovering
materials from mixed waste prior to disposal, and turning
those materials into commodities.
Palm Beach County achieved the highest recycling
rate of Florida’s 67 counties for calendar year 2022, at
an overall recycling rate of 80 percent. This is a result
of the highly successful residential and commercial
recycling programs, and the performance of waste-to-
energy facilities in recovering metals and energy from
waste. Further contributing to this success was the
performance of permitted partners, for-profit, and not-
for-profit entities who recovered and put yard waste,
construction and demolition debris, and concrete into
beneficial use.
It has been our mission at SWA over the years to
preserve landfill capacity, recover valuable resources,
and manage the county’s waste right here. Most Keeping Kids Safe.
importantly, thanks goes to the residents and businesses
of Palm Beach County for supporting what we do at Online safety education to prevent child abuse.
SWA, and for “recycling right.”
Please contact me if I can assist you at (561) 355- beKidSafe.org
2201 or by email at mmarino@pbcgov.org.