Visual explainer: How crews pumped wastewater from reservoir into Tampa Bay to hold off breach, flood in Florida
300 homes are evacuated near Piney Point phosphate mine as a leaking reservoir threatens a 20-foot wall of water.
Florida workers are pumping millions of gallons of wastewater containing phosphorus and nitrogen from a leaking reservoir into Tampa Bay to prevent a larger breach that could flood the surrounding area.
Manatee County officials said the reservoir could rupture and send out millions of gallons of water in a wall 20 feet high, The Associated Press reported .
The 77-acre reservoir held about 480 million gallons of water containing chemicals and other waste from Piney Point, a former fertilizer processing plant that closed in 2001. About 300 million gallons remain.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday for Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. State officials ordered the evacuation of more than 300 homes and scores of businesses around Piney Point.
In Palmetto, 345 of the 1,063 inmates at the Manatee County Jail were moved from the first floor to an undisclosed location. The remaining inmates and staff were moved to the second floor.
Where is the leak in Piney Point reservoir?
The site, owned by HRK Holdings, is in the Tampa Bay area north of Bradenton.
The leak was discovered Friday on the east wall of one of the containment reservoirs. Workers were unsuccessful in plugging it with rocks and other material.
Removing water, easing pressure
Teams siphon off water, hoping that reduced pressure on the reservoir’s walls will lessen chances of a breach. The water is pumped into Tampa Bay.
The Florida National Guard flew in pumps by helicopter Sunday to try to increase outflow from 33 million to 70 million gallons per day. More than 20 pumps were already on site.
Concern over radioactivity, red tide
The reservoir is a system of lined ponds connected to the former phosphate mine. The AP reported the largest pond, where the leak was discovered, is in a stack of phosphogypsum, a radioactive waste product left over from the manufacture of fertilizer.
Phosphogypsum contains small amounts of naturally occurring radium and uranium. The stacks can release large concentrations of radon gas, the AP said.
The wastewater at Piney Point is not radioactive, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection .
Other environmental concerns remain. Releasing high amounts of nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen into Tampa Bay can feed red tide, which could lead to low oxygen levels that can kill fish.
The discharged water is a mixture of saltwater from a Port Manatee dredging project, stormwater and water left over from plant operations, according to protectingfloridatogether.gov .
“The water meets water quality standards for marine waters with the exception of pH, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and total ammonia nitrogen. It is slightly acidic, but not at a level that is expected to be a concern,” the site said.
Piney Point history: Leaks, bankruptcies, cleanups
The phosphate plant opened in 1966 and experienced leaks and other operational problems over the years.
1966: Borden Chemical opens Piney Point plant.
1989: 23,000 gallons of sulfate leak from a holding tank, prompting the area to evacuate.
1991: Two incidents release sulfur chemicals into the air, making workers ill.
1993: Mulberry purchases Piney Point from Royster Phosphates.
1999: Mulberry closes Piney Point for lack of operating funds.
2001: Mulberry files for bankruptcy.
2001: The state discharges millions of gallons of ammonia-laden waste into ditches flowing into Bishop Harbor.
2003: Federal permission is granted to load millions of gallons of treated waste onto barges that spray it across a 20,000-square-mile area in the Gulf of Mexico.
2006: HRK Holdings purchases Piney Point.
Feb. 2011: A 6-inch tear is discovered after a crane falls onto a gypsum stack.
May 2011: A rip in the structure during Port Manatee’s dredging project sends 170 million gallons of toxic water into Bishop Harbor.
May 2011: HRK sues contractors that designed and installed stacks.
June 2011: Contractors fix leaks at Piney Point under government direction.
Sept. 2011: Dredging is completed at Port Manatee’s Berth 12.
June 2012: HRK files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
June 2012: The state sends a warning letter to HRK outlining eight repairs that remain unaddressed since the spill.
August 2012: The reservoirs at Piney Point reach capacity, and an emergency container is used to redirect overflow.
August 2012: Gov. Rick Scott attends the groundbreaking ceremony at Port Manatee of the Berth 12 container yard.
October 2012: HRK fails to submit plan to remove water from emergency containers.
November 2012: HRK sale of 30 acres at Piney Point to Air Products in finalized; $2.5 million of the proceeds are used to begin cleanup.
May 2013: HRK fails to meet deadline to file long-term care plan.
August 2013: Water amounts at Piney Point reach 525 million gallons.
August 2013: HRK attorney says the company is waiting for judge's approval on three land sales totaling 30 acres that would raise $9.7 million for cleanup.
2014: Piney Point plant owners sell land for $7.94 million.
2019: Manatee County commissioners say a major storm could cause Piney Point crisis.
July 2020: State records show an engineer brought on by HRK cites “significant deterioration" of the upper portion of the liner system over the past few years. The engineer advises the company to look for an alternative because the plastic liner is in poor condition.
October, December 2020: Environmental records show staff inspected the liner and documented potential cracks in December, October and July. They found small holes or weaknesses in plastic seams above the water line.
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Florida Department of Environmental Protection; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Manatee County Clerk of Court; U.S. Bankruptcy Court; Sarasota Herald-Tribune archives; Manatee County Property Appraiser; The Associated Press
Via PakapNews