Piney Point Update – April 4, 2023

Florida Department of Environmental Protection sent this bulletin at 04/04/2023 08:44 AM EDT
Piney Point

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850-245-2112, DEPNews@FloridaDEP.gov

Piney Point Update – April 4, 2023

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has completed its inspection of Manatee County’s Class I Underground Injection Control (UIC) Well located at Buckeye Road. This project is one critical element of the necessary water disposal that will enable the ultimate closure of the Piney Point facility once and for all, permanently eliminating the threat from this site to the environment and the community.

Having successfully passed this inspection, Manatee County can now begin receiving non-hazardous industrial wastewater from the former Piney Point facility.

The injection location is beneath the underground source of drinking water and the well is constructed with five separate casings to ensure the integrity of the injection well, and proper confinement and separation for the protection of overlying aquifer systems. Monitoring wells above and below the underground source of drinking water have also been installed to further ensure protection of groundwater resources, including the Floridan Aquifer.

In addition to the stringent well construction, monitoring and reporting requirements, DEP will also continue to conduct a wide variety of compliance inspections of both Manatee County's injection well and monitoring wells to ensure they are properly operated and maintained in compliance with all regulatory requirements for protection of groundwater resources and the environment.

DEP is committed to working with the receiver to ensure that progress towards closure is done as expeditiously as possible.

Key status updates and response activities (bolded and underlined language reflects changes):

  • The site received 0.12 inches of rain this month. Piney Point has received approximately 1.70 inches of rain since Jan. 1, 2023. In response to rain events, clean, non-contact stormwater will be conveyed as needed through the site's permitted outfall along Buckeye Road. Samples are collected at the permitted outfall during runoff events to confirm the stormwater meets the requirements of its permit.
  • The current storage capacity for additional rainfall at the site is approximately 31.2 inches. This capacity is expected to change with rainfall amounts, as well as adjusted water management activities at the site.
  • As part of the site's water management efforts, piping of water to the North Regional Water Reclamation Facility resumed and to date, 52,893,071 gallons have been transferred. Spray evaporation also resumed in the NGS-North compartment.
  • Approximately 260 million gallons are currently held within the NGS-South compartment. Pond level readings are expected to fluctuate due to a host of factors, including wind/associated waves in the pond, rainfall and water management activities.

Residents can find the latest information on the status of the site, response activities and water quality at ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov/PineyPointUpdate.