A leak has been discovered at an abandoned phosphate plant reservoir in Tampa Bay, Florida, US which, if left untreated could lead to potentially toxic water being released into the local environment.
The leak at Piney Point was discovered in March with Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis declaring a state of emergency on Saturday (April 3) for Manatee County that has led to more than 300 homes and businesses ordered to evacuate.
Workers have been removing millions of gallons of water from the reservoir to reduce pressure on its liner with the aim of removing enough for the liner to be repaired, local media report.
An update from the country outlined the working taking place alongside news of a full assessment being carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency. A full report is expected today (April 6).
Manatee County Administrator, Dr. Scott Hopes said: “There is probably just shy of 300 million gallons of water remaining and by the assessment we’ll have a much clearer picture of the current status. We have an entirely new team doing an in-depth assessment … Now we have Army Corps engineers, and they have incredible expertise. When we get update, we will release and update the public.”
In a previous update the county made it clear that local water supplies are in no danger from the leak.
