No town water, no town sewer
The Town of Loxahatchee Groves, incorporated in 2006 with about 3,400 residents, says in its own flood report that it does not provide water or sewer service. Most homes run on private wells and onsite septic systems. There is no utility to call when your taps go dry, so the whole system from the well to the tank is yours.
That shapes every call we take here. A weak shower might be a clogged filter, a failing pressure tank or a leak, and each has a different fix. We start by asking what the pump is doing.
Symptoms we hear from well homes
Pressure drops or sputters
Air spitting from faucets or pressure that swings up and down points to the pressure tank, a clogged filter or a leak on the line. Tell us whether it affects hot and cold alike.
Sediment or cloudy water
Sand or grit in the water can clog aerators and fill a water heater with sediment. A flush and a filter check, or a water filtration system, often come before anything bigger.
The pump never stops
A pump that runs all day or turns on with nothing open is often a leak clue. Shut every fixture and listen for the pump.
Gurgling or slow drains
Several slow fixtures at once suggest a main drain clog or a full tank. A single slow sink is usually just a local clog.
Wet yard after rain
Soggy ground over the drain field or the water line needs a closer look. Do not drive over the area until it is checked.
No hot water
Tanks fed by well water collect sediment faster. A rumbling tank and a lukewarm shower are the usual signs.
A running pump is a leak clue
Quick well-house check while you wait
Do these steps before the plumber arrives, and stop if any part feels unsafe.
- Turn off every tap, hose and appliance that uses water.
- Listen at the pressure tank. If the pump keeps cycling, water is leaving somewhere.
- Switch off the pump breaker if water is flooding a room or the pump house.
- Note the pressure gauge reading and any rust or sand you see.
- Take a photo of the tank, the filter and the gauge for the dispatcher.
On municipal water you read the meter. On a well, the pump cycling is your meter. We trace well-fed lines with leak detection tools, including pressure testing and acoustic listening, before opening any ground.
We work on the plumbing in the house and on the line to it. Deep well pump and drilling work is a specialty, so ask the dispatcher about your pump when you call.
Canals, wet season and the 42 percent
The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District manages about 8,000 acres with roughly 30 miles of canals and 29 miles of unpaved roads. The Town's own report finds that about 42 percent of the Town lies below the FEMA flood elevation, and it flags a risk from groundwater mounding.
For a homeowner, that means a septic drain field can sit in saturated soil after long rain. Slow drains and gurgling toilets in August are often a soil problem, not just a clog. A camera or cable can tell the two apart, which is why we often start with drain cleaning and read the result.
Likely a pipe problem
- One fixture drains slowly
- Snaking clears it for weeks
- Problem appears in dry weather too
- Water on the floor near a trap
Likely a tank or soil problem
- Every drain is slow at once
- Gurgling in tubs and toilets
- Worse after heavy rain
- Wet or foul-smelling ground outside
If the signs point to the tank or drain field, we say so and send you to the right people. Septic and well permits go through the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County at (561) 840-4500.
Permits in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves
The Town Building Department, at Town Hall on F Road, issues plumbing permits. Its guidance says clearing stoppages and repairing leaks without replacing or rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures is exempt. Replacing a concealed drain or pipe with new material counts as new work and needs a permit.
Replacing a water heater is not on the exempt list, so plan on a permit. Our water heater replacement crews can tell you the steps. Test your own well water too: Florida health officials advise testing for bacteria and nitrate yearly and for lead every three years, at a state-certified lab.
Close the main and stop the pump
Shut the main valve and switch off the well pump breaker if water is flowing freely. A pump that keeps running can move a lot of water into a flooded room.
Kill power near standing water
Turn off the breakers for wet rooms and the water heater. Stay out of the pump house if the floor is wet.
Clear the area
Move furniture and electronics from the wet floor. Photograph the damage for your insurer.
Call the 24/7 line
Give us your lettered road, the nearest cross street and whether you have a well, septic or both. We dispatch around the clock and quote a clear price before work starts.
Around the clock on the lettered roads
Southern Blvd and Okeechobee Blvd
The two main roads bring most traffic. Some properties near the south edge may reach county water, so tell us which kind of supply you have.
F Road, D Road and the grid
Town Hall sits at 155 F Road, and the rest of the grid runs on lettered roads. Unpaved roads can be slow after rain, so give us gate or driveway details.
Loxahatchee Groves Park
The county park at 13901 Southern Blvd is a handy landmark when you give directions. Homes nearby depend on private wells and septic like the rest of the Town.
Loxahatchee Groves shares ZIP 33470 with the wider Loxahatchee area, so this page also serves neighbors in that area. For acre lots further north, see Loxahatchee and The Acreage, or for Village homes on municipal water, see Wellington.
Where we serve in Loxahatchee Groves
Sources and standards
Town facts here come from the Town of Loxahatchee Groves vulnerability assessment and its permit requirements document, plus Florida Department of Health private well and septic guidance. Plumbing work follows the Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th Edition (2023).
Loxahatchee Groves plumbing questions
Do you cover every ZIP code in Loxahatchee Groves?
Loxahatchee Groves uses one ZIP, 33470. That ZIP is shared with the wider Loxahatchee area and The Acreage, and the preferred mailing name is Loxahatchee, so Loxahatchee Groves is an accepted name.
Because the ZIP crosses town lines, tell the dispatcher your road letter and address, and we confirm coverage on the call.
Is emergency service available in Loxahatchee Groves?
Yes. Our 24/7 line is open at night, on weekends and on holidays, and sends a licensed, insured plumber. Same-day appointments are offered when available.
We treat burst pipes, flooded rooms, sewer backups and failed water heaters as urgent.
My water pressure keeps dropping. Is that the well?
It can be the pressure tank, a clogged filter, a leak or the pump. We start by checking the gauge and the tank, and we tell you if the fault is the pump itself.
Note the gauge reading before we arrive.
Can you clear a drain connected to a septic tank?
We clear drain lines with a cable or a jetter and use a camera to see what is stopping the flow. If the tank is full or the drain field is saturated, a licensed septic contractor and the health department handle that side.
Call the Palm Beach health department at (561) 840-4500 about septic permits.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in the Town?
Yes, plan on one. The Town's building guidance lists plumbing as permitted work, and a water heater replacement is not on its exempt list.
Call the Town Building Department to confirm the current steps.
Can you find a leak between my well and my house?
We use pressure testing and acoustic detection to narrow the location before digging. A pump that cycles with all taps closed is the first clue.
Tell us where the well sits and any known line routes.
Question not answered here? Call the 24/7 line at (561) 448-8545 and talk to a plumber.