Piney Point Update – Sept. 1, 2023
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is working closely with the court-appointed receiver to continue site evaluations and manage water levels at the site.
There was no identified damage or concerns for the compartment systems following Hurricane Idalia, including the recently constructed OGS-South cap.
For the OGS-South compartment, closure work is in the final stages. Protective liner has been installed on top of the compartment and the receiver’s contractor has completed grassing on the OGS-South cap area to reduce the chance of soil erosion. Contractors are completing final quality control tasks for closure of the OGS-South compartment.
Additionally, the receiver continues to make progress on the next phase of closure. Recently, the receiver announced the contractors that were selected to begin closure work on the NGS-South compartment. To ensure work on this compartment can begin as soon as the contracts are executed, the receiver is planning site preparation work ahead of the mobilization of the contractor for dredging the NGS-South.
DEP will continue performing its stringent regulatory oversight of the facility to ensure this is the last chapter in the long history of Piney Point. DEP is committed to working with the receiver to ensure that progress toward closure is done as expeditiously as possible.
Note: DEP will continue to maintain updates on closure progress on its public webpage. Email status updates for subscribers are now sent on a monthly basis. The next update will be sent Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. Real-time updates will be transmitted as needed.
Key status updates and response activities (bolded and underlined language reflects changes):
- The site received 6.97 inches of rain this month. Piney Point has received approximately 22.5 inches of rain since Jan. 1, 2023.
- The current storage capacity for additional rainfall at the site is approximately 59.2 inches. This capacity is expected to change with rainfall amounts and adjusted water management activities at the site.
- The receiver resumed the transfer of non-hazardous industrial wastewater to Manatee County’s Underground Injection Control well along Buckeye Road on Aug. 31, 2023, following Hurricane Idalia. To date, 84,581,573 gallons have been transferred. 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.
- Approximately 196 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.
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