Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Sunday that the state is hoping to prevent “catastrophic” flood damage caused by problems at a phosphate plant that could endanger nearby homes and businesses.
DeSantis said at a press conference Sunday that officials were on the scene dealing with a cracked reservoir at the plant causing wastewater to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. The governor toured the area a day after the Manatee County Public Safety Department declared a state of emergency and issued evacuation orders for parts of the county.
“What we’re looking at now is trying to prevent and respond to, if need be, a real catastrophic flood situation,” he said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The chair of the local county commission added that there was no threat to drinking water at this time.
Though the water is not radioactive, officials say it is highly acidic and would cause major environmental damage were a full breach to occur.
“We are completing rigorous water quality sampling daily to support any future enforcement action,” the head of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement Saturday. “While this water meets most water quality standards for marine waters, there are elevated levels of nutrients and the water is acidic. However, the water is not radioactive.”