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In the US state of Florida, emergency services continue to try to avert an environmental disaster.
There is a leak in the plastic lining of this sewer basin in the Manatee district.
Should the protective wall burst, two billion liters of contaminated water would flood the adjacent fields within minutes.
Ron Desantis, Governor Florida
"I have declared a state of emergency in the counties of Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinella by decree."
Attempts to mend the leak, beat missing.
Now, according to Governor Desantis, rescue workers and the National Guard are pumping 125 million liters of wastewater from the basin every day to relieve the construction.
The basin in the village of Piney Point is part of a disused phosphate mine and fertilizer factory, the water is polluted with phosphorus and nitrogen.
Scott Hopes, Manatee County Council
“It's huge amounts of water. The pools are 28 hectares in size and up to eight meters deep. "
The authorities have ordered the evacuation of around 300 houses near the basin.
If the nutrient-rich water were to flow into the sea, this could lead to dangerous algal blooms that suffocate marine life, warn environmental organizations.
In addition, in the event of a flood, water could run into storage tanks in which phosphogypsum is stored.
This is considered radioactive and contains poisons such as arsenic, lead and mercury.
It would take ten to twelve days to fully pump out the wastewater.