PALMETTO, Fla — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is continuing to monitor the weather and site conditions at Piney Point as storage capacity nears the brim.
While the site's new receiver transitions into his new role, water treatment and management will continue, according to the DEP. On Aug. 25, a judge issued an order appointing a receivership to serve as an independent third party to oversee management and closure of the Piney Point site.
In a Sunday update, the DEP reported the site received no rainfall overnight. So far, Piney Point has received about 27 inches of rain since the beginning of June and officials expect to see at least another 6 inches by the end of September.
Currently, the storage capacity for additional rainfall at the site is around 10.4 inches. This capacity is expected to change with rainfall amounts, as well as adjusted water management activities at the site, the DEP says.
In an effort to maintain water management efforts, trucking of water to nearby water treatment facilities resumed Aug. 17. To date, 228 trucks have hauled about 1,440,480 gallons of process water offsite to the Manatee County Southeast Water Reclamation Facility. For comparison, it takes about 1 million gallons of water to fill a large resort-style pool in a community.
Piping of water to the North Regional Water Reclamation Facility began again Thursday, Sept. 2, and to date, 104,420 gallons have been transferred. The DEP says as a result of these innovative water treatment practices, nutrients have been significantly reduced.
The DEP is continuing to work with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Health to monitor algal blooms and water quality.