Following a threat to a public health emergency, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis on Saturday declared a county-wide state of emergency in the Manatee region.

A day before, the Manatee County Public Safety Department released an evacuation order for any individuals within a 1-mile radius North and a half-mile radius South of the old Piney Point fertilizer plant wastewater holding reservoir. 

As per officials, an uncontrolled release of water is imminent.

The crews detected a leak in one of the containment walls on March 27. The wall at risk of collapsing holds approximately 480 million gallons of contaminated water.

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The discharge of toxic water is likely to negatively impact marine life and flood nearby homes as it moves towards Tampa Bay. 

Manatee County Public Safety Department tweeted about the announcement.  

As per the orders, Buckeye Road will remain closed from 31st Terrace E to O’neil Road. Extending up to the Airport Manatee, the evacuation order covers a mile north of Buckeye Road, between Curiosity Creek and US 41, reported Fox News. 

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Residents are advised to make their evacuation plans immediately by the officials of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Affected persons can call 311 for further information. 

An emergency meeting was convened by the Manatee County Board of Commissioners on Friday to discuss the problem. Previously, concerns had been growing over the possible rupture of the phosphogypsum stack.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said, “DEP’s Emergency Management staff are onsite and coordinating with Manatee County to provide assistance with an engineered blockade of natural landscape to halt the breakout to contain the system.”

The statement added, “The water meets water quality standards for marine waters with the exception of pH, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and total ammonia nitrogen. It is slightly acidic, but not at a level that is expected to be a concern, nor is it expected to be toxic.” 

Located in an environmentally sensitive area and originally built in 1966, Piney point is now an abandoned phosphate plant located close to the coastlines of lower Tampa Bay. 

Environmentally hazardous ponds of wastewater and gypsum sacks are the toxic leftovers at the site.