Miami Beach Outperforms all Other Miami-Dade Cities in Stormwater Report Card

Miami Beach, FL – Recognizing that the health of Biscayne Bay is everyone’s responsibility, the City of Miami Beach posted average quantitative and qualitative compliance scores of 95% and 98% respectively between 2021 and 2023, according to a recently released Stormwater Report Card compiled by nonprofit Miami Waterkeeper, Everglades Law Center, Miami Law Environmental Justice Clinic and P.E.E.R Group

“Out of 34 cities, Miami Beach is the top-performing municipality leading the way on keeping pollution out of our waters,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “Clean water isn't optional in a coastal city, it's the baseline for everything else we build.”

While there are many sources of pollution that affect water quality, municipalities that demonstrate excellence in stormwater compliance are more likely to be successful at preventing controllable pollution from entering waterways.

For example, Miami Beach has a robust stormwater system cleaning program augmented by regular street sweeping and inspections as well as waterway litter removal. The city has led in the adoption of numerous ordinances ranging from construction site requirements to restrictions on fertilizer use, and action to ban single-use plastics, balloons and confetti that can end up in waterways. The city also advances environmental stewardship by working closely with nonprofits that hold beach and shoreline cleanups.

From a planning perspective, the Waterkeeper report noted that the City of Miami Beach adopted a new stormwater management master plan during its review cycle “responding to new challenges, such as climate-driven flooding, and looking to incorporate green infrastructure practices.” It emphasized that this proactive planning “demonstrates a commitment to adapt and enhance stormwater management beyond minimum compliance requirements.”    

Underscoring the importance of communications, the city has shared its educational campaigns such as We <3 Biscayne Bay through multiple methods — ranging from community events, newsletters and placing educational signs on waste collection trucks, trolleys and city buildings. The city also regularly hosts its popular Household Hazardous Waste Cleanup events that prevent otherwise harmful materials from entering waterways and landfills.

“The ocean, Biscayne Bay and all our waterways are vital to Miami Beach — and protecting and improving water quality remains one of the city’s top priorities,” added Amy Knowles, Chief Resilience Officer and Director of the Environment and Sustainability Department. “While this report reflects our significant dedication, we recognize that urban canals throughout our region can experience water quality challenges due to factors such as limited circulation, rainfall and stormwater runoff. Miami Beach will continue to monitor conditions, identify potential sources of concern and invest in solutions.”

Overall, the report found that municipalities throughout Miami-Dade County have achieved notable gains relative to a 2020 baseline, most notably with respect to infrastructure mapping, reporting completeness and the adoption of stormwater management programs. “However, a significant disconnect between administrative planning and on-the-ground execution remains,” the report cautioned. “Routine field inspections of critical infrastructure have stagnated or decreased and compliance levels vary widely between jurisdictions.”

Municipalities with larger annual budgets and robust administrative frameworks consistently achieved higher scores than those with lower budgets. Correlations with social vulnerability indicators also suggested that local socioeconomic barriers materially impacted a municipality’s ability to fulfill permit obligations.

The results are significant because effective stormwater management is fundamentally linked to the health of Biscayne Bay. “Because stormwater systems are hydrologically connected, uneven compliance across municipalities may pose challenges for achieving countywide watershed and Biscayne Bay water quality goals,” the report said, noting the collective responsibility of both inland and coastal municipalities.

The full report can be viewed here.

To learn more about water quality in the City of Miami Beach, click here.

###

To request this material in alternate format, sign language interpreter (five-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) and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6; TTY users may call via 711 (Florida Relay Service).