POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued draft permits to allow the Mosaic Company to build two exploratory wells in Polk County.
The proposed deep underground wells could eventually be injected with treated wastewater.
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The Mosaic Company said these wells have a strong safety record with its potential to reduce the need for surface water discharge, but some residents fear if this could lead to groundwater contamination and long-term effects.State officials said underground injection control technology helps dispose of non-hazardous, pre-treated wastewater and stormwater that would otherwise end up in lakes or rivers.There are more than 220 of them across the state, according to Mosaic. Now, the state DEP has issued draft permits to the mosaic company for two more exploratory deep wells in Polk County: one in Bartow, and the other in Mulberry.
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“There’s a very complex and detailed process to go through creating and constructing a UIC well,” said David Brown, RESPEC’s National Practice Lead in Hydrogeology.Both sites are designed to be 8,000 feet below ground. The permits allow the Mosaic Company to collect data and evaluate if the conditions are safe for injecting treated wastewater in the future.Back in 2021, more than 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater was discharged into Tampa Bay because of a leak at Piney Point, the former phosphate facility in Manatee County. It ultimately led to the opening of a deep injection well…