In the Fall of 2014, Girls Scouts of Tropical Florida Troop #713 took to the streets warning neighbors of possible DDT contamination in well water, after two sisters, Kathe and Sienna Labiste, found out their well had been contaminated.
The Troop went door to door, distributing their homemade flyers alerting neighbors of contamination, informing them about the dangers of DDT toxins and providing them information on how to get their wells tested.
After alerting Florida Department of Health and other agencies, Assistant Troop Leader, Luis Labiste and his family met with Miami-Dade District 8 Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. Soon thereafter, the commissioner arranged a multi-disciplinary meeting that included Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department, Miami-Dade County Public Works, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This meeting set the wheels in motion towards developing possible solutions. During this time, the troop notified neighbors door to door, once more advising them of upcoming town hall meetings regarding the contaminated well issue in the community.
With a lot of hard work from Commissioner Cava and her team, alongside the efforts of Troop #713, funds were allocated for the Kendalwood Estates Well Contamination Water Project. As it turned out, at least ten homes had contaminated wells. In June 2017, everyone’s hard work came to fruition. Water pipes were installed in the affected community.
Three years in the making, the project is just about finished and the neighborhood of Kendalwood Estates has potable, clean water. The cost of the water project was approximately $1.7 million. It all started with the girl-led civic engagement of Troop 713, who made a lasting impact and helped save lives. “Working together, we can make anything happen. Thanks to the teamwork of Troop #713 and Commissioner Cava’s staff, a community has clean water now,” said Assistant Troop Leader Luis Labiste.






Deering Estate
Massage Envy South Miami
Calla Blow Dry
My Derma Clinic
Sports Grill
The Healthy Kitchen
Sushi Maki
Golden Rule Seafood
Malanga Cuban Café

Kathleen Ballard
Panter, Panter & Sampedro
Vintage Liquors
The Dog from Ipanema
Rubinstein Family Chiropractic
Your Pet’s Best
Indigo Republic


ATR Luxury Homes


2112 Design Studio
Hamilton Fox & Company
Creative Design Services
Best Pest Professionals
HD Tree Services
Trinity Air Conditioning Company
Cisca Construction & Development
Mosquito Joe
Cutler Bay Solar Solutions


Miami Royal Ballet & Dance
Christopher Columbus
Pineview Preschools
Westminster
Carrollton
Lil’ Jungle
Frost Science Museum
Palmer Trinity School
South Florida Music
Pinecrest Orthodontics
Dr. Bob Pediatric Dentist
d.pediatrics


South Miami Women’s Health

The Spot Barbershop
My Derma Clinic




Miami Dance Project

Rubinstein Family Chiropractic
Indigo Republic

Safes Universe
Vintage Liquors
Evenings Delight





Atchana’s Homegrown Thai
Baptist Health South Florida

Laser Eye Center of Miami
Visiting Angels
OpusCare of South Florida



Your Pet’s Best

HD Tree Services
Hamilton Fox & Company

Creative Design Services


