Lake Boca Swim Advisory Lifted After Wastewater Spill

At a Glance

• Status: The no-swim advisory was lifted on September 23, 2026, and water-related activities may resume in the identified area.
• The Florida Department of Health lifted the advisory after coordinated testing found an acceptable bacteria level at Lake Boca.
• The advisory had covered Camino Real, Lake Boca and the connected Intracoastal Waterway near the Boca Raton Resort.
• Drinking water was never affected, according to health and city officials.
• The original health alert was issued September 18, 2026, after a wastewater spill entered the waterway.

The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County has lifted the no-swim advisory for the Camino Real waterway connected to Lake Boca and the Intracoastal Waterway adjacent to the Boca Raton Resort. The City of Boca Raton announced the lifting on September 23, 2026, saying coordinated laboratory testing with the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection found an acceptable bacteria level at Lake Boca for the public to resume water-related activities.

The city's Alert Center recorded the lifted notice at 4:45 p.m. on September 23. Residents and visitors may now resume swimming and water-related activities in the identified area. Drinking water was never affected by the incident.

The advisory had been in place since September 18, 2026, when a wastewater spill entered Camino Real and the connected Intracoastal Waterway. The lifting notice applies to the specific area covered by the original advisory — Camino Real, Lake Boca and the connected Intracoastal Waterway near the Boca Raton Resort. It does not represent a testing of all Boca Raton waters.

What Residents Should Know Now

With the advisory lifted, residents and visitors may resume swimming and water-related activities in the identified area. The no-swim and no-irrigation restrictions that had been in place since September 18 are no longer in effect for the covered waterway. Drinking water was never affected and required no precautions throughout the incident.

Anyone with lingering questions about health effects from wastewater exposure can contact the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County: main number 561-837-5900, email CHD50ContactUs@FLHealth.gov, after-hours number 561-881-1888, or the Public Information Office at 561-671-4013.

Background: What Caused the Spill

The advisory was originally issued on September 18, 2026, after a wastewater spill entered Camino Real and the connected Intracoastal Waterway. In a September 19 update distributed through the city's verified Nextdoor account, the City of Boca Raton said the failure involved a connection on a 16-inch wastewater pipe. The failure occurred west of the hotel entrance near the Camino Real bridge.

The city said the failed connection caused wastewater to leak from the pipe. Some of that wastewater entered storm drains on the north side of Camino Real, and those storm drains discharge into the Intracoastal Waterway. The City of Boca Raton's notice expressly included Lake Boca among the waterways for which precautions were taken.

The advisory applied to residents and visitors near the identified waterways. It did not extend to all Boca Raton beaches, all city waterways, the Atlantic Ocean or the entirety of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Background: What Testing Found Before the Lift

In its September 19 update, the City of Boca Raton reported that bacteria levels in the latest water-quality testing had decreased but remained too high to lift the advisory at that time. The city continued coordinating testing and cleanup with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and health officials.

The city's public updates provided qualitative testing information but did not include numerical bacterial measurements or complete laboratory reports in the material reviewed. The September 23 lifting notice states that coordinated laboratory testing found an acceptable bacteria level at Lake Boca; CityApollo · Boca Raton is not publishing numerical results because none were released publicly.

What Remains Unanswered

The public notices do not specify the total volume of wastewater released, the exact duration of the leak, whether the failed pipe connection received a permanent repair, or the numerical bacterial measurements from sampling. CityApollo · Boca Raton is not speculating about any of these points. The lifting notice confirms acceptable bacteria levels at Lake Boca; it does not constitute a testing of all Boca Raton waters.

Recreational Water vs. Drinking Water

Drinking water was never affected, according to health and city officials. The advisory applied only to recreational contact with the identified surface waterways. Residents did not need to take precautions regarding tap water as a result of this incident.

How Residents Can Obtain Additional Information

Residents can monitor the City of Boca Raton homepage, advisory page and Alert Center for any further updates. For questions about health effects from wastewater exposure, the Florida Department of Health provided the following contact information: the main number 561-837-5900, email CHD50ContactUs@FLHealth.gov, an after-hours number 561-881-1888, and the Public Information Office at 561-671-4013.

This advisory concerned a frequently visited local recreational waterway. Many West Boca residents boat, paddle, swim or fish in the Lake Boca and Intracoastal area, and some may use boats launched or stored elsewhere in Boca Raton. The spill did not occur in West Boca, but the practical relevance for residents who recreate in eastern Boca Raton was clear.

Have an update, correction or additional official notice related to this advisory? Contact the CityApollo editorial desk at the CityApollo editor.