In 2017, excessive rain from storms, forced the county to discharge of untreated sewage into the Indian River Lagoon near Indian Harbour Beach. The law permits the dumping of treated wastewater. Dumping untreated sewage is a health-hazard. It contributes .5% of the nutrients in the lagoon. The county signed a consent order in 2018, that required the county, among other things, to install of force mains on the South Beaches from Florida State Road 518 south, at a cost of $10 million.