Piney Point releases rainwater ahead of closure
August 15, 2022 - Workers at the shuttered Piney Point fertilizer plant in Manatee County began releasing rainwater stored at the site into Tampa Bay over the weekend. Unlike the millions of gallons of polluted water pumped into the bay in April 2021, the current discharge is treated and safe for release, according to the Florida Department of Environmental protection. After officials discovered a leak in one of Piney Point’s reservoirs last year, they ordered the release of about 215 million gallons of nitrogen-rich contaminated water into the bay to prevent the potential flooding of surrounding neighborhoods. Environmentalists said that likely helped fuel a massive red tide outbreak last summer. State leadership has since dedicated millions to treating and draining all of the water from the site, but workers must first remove the rainwater. Officials said the discharge would last about six days and conclude towards the end of this week.