US: 2nd breach of Florida phosphate reservoir

More pumps are being deployed to prevent the collapse of a leaking containment wall at the site of a shuttered phosphate plant in central Florida.

Contaminated water was being pumped into Tampa Bay from the 77-acre (33-hectare) reservoir to avoid a breach that could "catastrophically" flood the surrounding area with a 20-foot wall of water.

"An infrared drone identified a signature that could indicate a second breach" at the Piney Point reservoir on Tampa Bay, said Jake Saur, public safety director in Manatee County. Engineers were studying the new data, he said.

Scott Hopes, the Manatee County administrator, said the additional pumps should help increase the capacity for a controlled release of the water from about 35 million gallons (about a 132 million liters) a day to between 75 million and 100 million gallons.

"By the end of the day today when the additional pumps come online, we will more than double the volume of water that we're pulling out of that retention pool," Hopes said, adding that there were still just under 300 million gallons of water in the reservoir.

What is the current situation?

The site is located across from the twin cities of Tampa Bay and St. Petersberg, and is sandwiched between a protected estuary and a state park.

After Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a local state of emergency on Saturday, emergency workers, along with the US Army Corps of Engineers and assisted by the Florida National Guard, began pumping water out of the reservoir.

Fears of a complete breach led authorities to evacuate more than 300 homes, close portions of a major highway and move several hundred jail inmates nearby to a second floor of the facility.

Congressman Vern Buchanan, who represents the region, flew over the area Monday and said federal resources were committed to assisting the effort

"I think we are making some progress,'' Buchanan said. "This is something that has been going on too long. Now, I think everybody is focused on this.'' 

What is the environmental threat?

The ponds sit in stacks of phosphogypsum, a solid radioactive byproduct from manufacturing fertilizer.

It is considered radioactive as it contains isotopes such as radon, as well as toxic heavy metals like arsenic, lead and mercury.

But state authorities say the water in the breached pond is not radioactive.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says the water has elevated levels of phosphorous and nitrogen and is acidic, but is not expected to be toxic.

Marine algae thrive on such elements, and environmental groups fear the release of millions of gallons of nutrient-rich water into the ocean could trigger a deadly "red tide," or algal bloom, that can suffocate fish and other aquatic life and deter tourist activity.

Are other spills possible? 

According to local reporting from the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, the problems at Piney Point are long-running and spills have happened before.

Since its one-time owner, Mulberry Corp., closed for business a couple of decades ago, the gypsum stacks and wastewater have loomed near the bay.

"This environmental disaster is made worse by the fact it was entirely foreseeable and preventable,'' said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

"With 24 more phosphogypsum stacks storing more than 1 billion tons of this dangerous, radioactive waste in Florida, the EPA needs to step in right now," said Lopez. 

mb/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)