Media Coverage

Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) executes record infrastructure investment as part of its Capital Improvement Program (miamidade.gov)
Click here: Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department Press Releases

Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department receives award for financial reporting excellence for 37th consecutive year

MIAMI ( April 22, 2021 ) — 

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year that concluded on September 30, 2019.

Miami Community Newspaper

"I am humbled to be entrusted with leading an organization that has so much impact on our future. In South Florida we enjoy some of the best quality drinking water in the world. I’m proud to lead the team that delivers high-quality drinking water to so many, while at the same time working to ensure we are leading the way as innovators to reuse water, preserve our natural resources, and prepare for sea level rise.”

Miami Herald
Miami Beach is waging war against Sea Level Rise

“We want to prevent nutrients from going into the bay because it’s Miami Beach’s position that nutrient overload is the biggest harm to the bay,” Coley said. “Miami Beach has a minimum amount of nutrients going into the bay, and we want to further reduce that.”

Miami Beach Times
Miami Beach holds Public Discussion with Jacobs Engineering

“I definitely heard great feedback from the residents in attendance and believe their input will undoubtedly produce a well-informed concept plan that identifies nature-based solutions to help mitigate against the city’s most timely threat, climate change,” stated Roy Coley.

Scientific American
As Seas Rise, King Tides Increasingly Inundate the Atlantic Ocean

“We know we’re never going to overcome climate change, and we’re going to have to take incremental steps as long as we exist to manage climate change,” said Coley, adding that Miami Beach is “just a little bit ahead of the curve” compared with other coastal cities.

CBS News Floridians prepare for the possibility of a direct Irma hit

If Irma swamps Miami Beach, the city's public works assistant director, Roy Coley, must drain it. Coley inspected and flushed all 34 pumping stations on Wednesday. He has 30 more temporary pumps on standby.

The Wall Street Journal
Bracing for Sea Rise, Miami Beach

Since January 2017, after the project was completed, the area has avoided 85 flooding incidents that would have occurred without the changes, said Roy Coley, the city’s public works director.

WLRN
Increasing Miami Beaches Resiliency

The City of Miami Beach has proven vulnerable to sea-level rise and increasingly powerful hurricanes. The roads are equally burdened with taking on millions of tourists each year. The City's new Director of Public Works, Roy Coley, is tasked with overseeing these challenges. He joined the program to speak on the measures the City is taking to improve its infrastructure and resiliency.

MSN.com
King tides threaten flooding this weekend. South Florida prepares to fend off the water

“We believe the temporary pumps will adequately provide the protection to keep the roads open, and there won’t be any more drastic measures needed,” Coley said.

The Times UK
Miami in the front line against climate change

"We can pump 6 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period of time”

The Florida Times-Union Jacksonville.com
Zika spraying in South Beach

“Three vacuum trucks purchased to help Miami Beach fight rising sea levels have been used since the beginning of the year to drain water in low-lying areas where mosquitoes could breed, said Roy Coley, the city’s infrastructure director.”

AP News
Zika won’t hurt South Florida Tourism in the long run

“The city also has been sending workers to fill potholes collecting water in alleys and fix leaky beach showers, in addition to applying pesticides to the area's many construction sites and flood-prone residential streets, Coley said.”

NBC News
Florida Braces for Rain, Floods as Tropical Depression Forms

"It’s not great news for us, but the heavy rains will flush away the larvicide, and it will reestablish any standing water," he said. "That will make our work more challenging, but we are up to the task," he said.

Business Insider
Miami Beach no confirmation of Zika Spreading
Denver Post
Miami Beach News
Promoting Assistant Public Works Director Roy Coley to Head the Cutting-Edge Department

“Mr. Coley pledged to the Commission to “use good judgment” and treat all stakeholders equitably in his new role.”

Miami Community Newspaper
The City of Miami Beach Appoints New Public Works Director

“I’m confident Roy will l take the city to even greater heights in his new role as he oversees one of our largest service departments, said City Manager Jimmy Morales.”

ReMiamiBeach
New Public Works Director Recommended

“City Manager Morales called him a “transformational leader” in his recommendation to Commission. He was one of the leaders in the City’s preparation and response efforts for Hurricane Irma and has been instrumental in the City’s response to the King tides. “He procured new vacuum trucks to aid the immediate shocks of high water and developed a strategy where temporary pumps were used to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the lowest-lying areas while more permanent measures were being developed,” Morales wrote. “Mr. Coley will provide the innovative approaches to stormwater management, renewal, and replacement of aging drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, streets, and street lighting.”

Videos

City of Miami Beach
Debris Cleanup After Hurricane Irma
Play Video
South District Wastewater treatment plant to get upgrade
CBS Miami
County leaders announce groundbreaking wastewater treatment plant expansion in Miami-Dade
CBS 4 News Miami
High Tides Cause Flooding