Florida To Permanently Close Piney Point Wastewater Reservoir

PALMETTO, FL — State officials announced the permanent closure of the Piney Point wastewater reservoir in Palmetto following a breach that threatened to flood portions of northern Manatee County.

“We want this to be the last chapter of the Piney Point story. So, today, I’m directing the (Florida) Department of Environmental Protection to create a plan to close Piney Point,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Tuesday morning press conference at the site.

Small leaks were first discovered at Piney Point, a former phosphate processing plant, March 25. A larger breach was found April 3, and the county worked with regional, state and federal partners to pump wastewater from the reservoir and to seal the site with a fabricated metal patch.

DeSantis directed the FDEP to come up with a plan for the reservoir’s permanent closure and to redirect $15.4 million in funding for technologies to pre-treat water at the site for nutrients.

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Senator Wilton Simpson said the state legislature supports Piney Point’s closure and will dedicate about $100 million to the site. Once a plan is created and presented to the legislature by the end of the year, he's hopeful the state will fully fund the project.

In the meantime, the county and state will continue to monitor water quality at the site, as well as any potential environmental impacts from wastewater breach, DeSantis said. The governor also authorized the FDEP to fully investigate the breach and “take any and all legal action” necessary to hold HRK Holdings, LLC, the property’s owner, “and any other actors fully accountable.”