Environmentalists and Tampa city officials are debating over what to do with about approximately 50 million gallons per day of highly treated wastewater being dumped into Tampa Bay.
According to Tampa Bay Times, "the city wants to divert the wastewater to replenish the Hillsborough River, help lower salinity levels in Sulphur Springs and, possibly, augment the city’s drinking supply."
Opponents believe traces of pharmaceuticals or household beauty products may impact residents and wildlife, on top of being an expensive endeavor that would increase water bills by up to $67 a month, reported Tampa Bay Times.
There was also a debate over Purify Usable Resources for the Environment (PURE) while city officials held briefings with reporters while opponents held a news conference on the banks of the lower Hillsborough River in Sulphur Springs.
Tampa Bay Times reported that Mayor Jane Castor wants City Council members to delay about $1 million for the next round of analysis and public engagement until February, after it receives feedback from the state and the regional water utility, Tampa Bay Water.
The Sierra Club, the Friends of the Hillsborough River and the League of Women Voters have said the city has not raised enough awareness about the potential project and has not answered questions about the safety or provided a real cost estimate, reported Tampa Bay Times.
“This is the third time this project has come back. It’s time to kill it,” said Gary Gibbons, vice chairperson and political chairperson of the Sierra Club’s Tampa Bay chapter, reported Tampa Bay Times.
Council members are expected to vote on Sept. 15 whether to grant the mayor’s delay. Council members have requested to reexamine other options, according to Whit Remer, the city’s sustainability and resiliency officer, reported Tampa Bay Times. According to opponents, the $1.2 million authorized by council members last February for public engagement and analysis has not been accurately accounted for.
Sierra Club conservation chairperson Nancy Stevens and others want the city to wait until the EPA develops drinking water standards for emerging contaminants of concern, including pharmaceuticals, reported Tampa Bay Times. There have been 20 meetings between the mayor and her staff since December 2020 which have not addresses safety and cost concerns, according to opponents.
A recent state law requires cities that release wastewater into water bodies to stop doing so by 2032. Opponents ask that the city seek an exemption from that 10-year window, reported Tampa Bay Times.
