Tampa Bay Phosphate Plant Leak

[svana]

I’m sure all of us locals have seen the news on this guy. What are y’all’s opinion on getting out on the water if it continues to occur? It’s right at the mouth so I figure it’ll affect anybody going in/out and probably the bay as a whole.

Florida emergency as phosphate plant pond leak threatens radioactive flood — Guardian US

‘No longer safe to be anywhere near Piney Point’, says official of former plant where millions of gallons of wastewater could leak

apple.news

 

[Sonic Blue]

I was just watching this on the news up here in Canada. WTF. That is not good. It’s scary that it could get that bad. (We manage Nuclear waste in our area from CANDU reactors) I really hope this gets contained safely. Best of luck !!!

 

[1WetBoat]

I’m sure all of us locals have seen the news on this guy. What are y’all’s opinion on getting out on the water if it continues to occur? It’s right at the mouth so I figure it’ll affect anybody going in/out and probably the bay as a whole.

Florida emergency as phosphate plant pond leak threatens radioactive flood — Guardian US

‘No longer safe to be anywhere near Piney Point’, says official of former plant where millions of gallons of wastewater could leak

apple.news

I'm also in RiverView and I'm watching this closely. I ride my wave runners in that area along with the boat and that isn't going to be good. It will basically render a lot of that area useless if the spill isn't contained and goes out to the bay.

 

[adrianp89]

I am confused by it all to be honest. I feel much info isn't being released. Where are they pumping the water currently?

 

[1WetBoat]

I see pumps being brought in, but you're right, where is it being pumped to?

 

[adrianp89]

I see pumps being brought in, but you're right, where is it being pumped to?

They said surround water areas, but not sure what that means. Is that other retention areas? Is that the bay?

 

[1WetBoat]

This is troubling for obvious reasons with the environment, but talk about bad timing with the start of the real boating season pretty much here. Fingers crossed they get this under control before it becomes a real ecological disaster.

 

[Bizywk]

I’m sure all of us locals have seen the news on this guy. What are y’all’s opinion on getting out on the water if it continues to occur? It’s right at the mouth so I figure it’ll affect anybody going in/out and probably the bay as a whole.

Florida emergency as phosphate plant pond leak threatens radioactive flood — Guardian US

‘No longer safe to be anywhere near Piney Point’, says official of former plant where millions of gallons of wastewater could leak

apple.news

I had no idea that radioactive materials were mined as part of the phosphate process. I figured it was just an inert fertilizer/soap mineral.

With the randomness of government attention blatently ignoring some major health issues while overkilling the fear warnings by declaring nearly everything (in some states) to be major health issues, it's hard for the average Joe out here to know when there is a true risk or not. i.e. The military still issues glow in the dark items such as watches, compasses, etc which are clearly marked with "Danger - Radioactivity" warnings, but there doesn't seem to be any longstanding health issues.

Is there any data being published to help the public know how concentrated and risky that wastewater really is? It's already been been pumped there and sat for so many years in/around the high Florida water table. There has had to be some overflow with the occasional severe weather.

 

[1WetBoat]

No data that i could find to indicate if the toxicity or concentration of dangerous chemicals after sitting for so long.

 

[svana]

My understanding is that its been sitting and the lake liner recently developed a leak. Latest I heard was that they need to drain (aka dump) in order to repair and that they were talking about pumping it out to the bay. But I haven't heard the latest since Thursday.

 

[Dean P]

It surprises me there is no backup plan. Nothing last forever especially these man-made ponds with 20 foot walls.

 

[svana]

It surprises me there is no backup plan. Nothing last forever especially these man-made ponds with 20 foot walls.

You'd think...feel like this is also gotta be such an antiquated process that there's gotta be better options nowadays.

 

[adrianp89]

You'd think...feel like this is also gotta be such an antiquated process that there's gotta be better options nowadays.

Supposedly this body of water was in issue 30 years ago, and no one did anything about it.