Stop Deep Well Injection of Piney Point Wastewater

In April, the State of Florida authorized the release of 215 million gallons of Piney Point wastewater into Tampa Bay, polluting our coastal waterways, fueling red tide, and impacting our quality of life. Now, all but one of the Manatee County Commissioners want to pump the remaining wastewater through an injection well into our aquifer. Pumping hundreds of millions of gallons of polluted wastewater into the Floridan aquifer could migrate and contaminate our drinking water and agricultural irrigation supply.

That's why we've joined with the Center for Biological Diversity, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Manasota-88 and Our Children's Earth Foundation to sue the Manatee County Board of Commissioners to stop them from pumping polluted wastewater from Piney Point into our groundwater.  

We're fighting every day to protect our water resources.  You can help join the fight by signing our petition asking Manatee County Commissioners to reconsider and withdraw their permit application for an injection well.

Manatee County and DEP have rushed this permit without the Commissioners seeing the full picture. They have only heard from DEP and industry proponents assuring them that its safe and there are no other alternatives.

The "pre-treatment" that they think is going to remove the pollutants is, according to the permit, only to ensure that the effluent is chemically compatible with the groundwater and won't clog the well.  There is no plan or requirement in the permit to remove pollution such as heavy metals and radioactive materials that we believe are likely in the wastewater and could migrate to drinking water sources.

Nobody knows what is going to happen to this wastewater once injected into the aquifer and where pollutants may migrate to.

There are alternatives to this potentially dangerous plan, like reverse osmosis, and a process in place for the expedited development of a closure and treatment plan, dictated by Federal Law.
 
Why is the County the only one facing this decision, putting this enormous decision that can affect generations in the hands of just seven people who haven’t heard all of the risks from independent scientists? 
The County does not have to carry HRK and the State's dirty water here, but if they insist on dumping this massive legacy of phosphate pollution down the well, they need to do so with a full understanding of the risks, alternatives and objections by their constituents.

Add your name today to tell the Manatee County Board of Commissioners to put a stop to this plan and to support a safe and permanent closure of Piney Point.  

I urge the Manatee County Board of Commissioners to: 

  • Pursue safer alternatives like reverse osmosis. 
  • Consider the generational impact this deep well injection plan could have on our water resources.
  • Hold the State of Florida and HRK Holdings accountable.  
  • Not force Manatee County to shoulder the burden of cleaning up HRK and the State of Florida's mess. 
  • Independently verify what is in the wastewater.
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