Florida officials drain lake filled with ‘toilet’ water to coast
Lake water being discharged into local rivers. CREDIT: WPTV, Dale
This pollution has immediate effects for southern Florida’s atmosphere and economy. The untreated water contains toxic chemicals and fertilizers which are dangerous to local plants and creatures, and also the fertilizers and chemicals based in the water are recognized to cause algal blooms, which are recognized to poison shellfish making existence hard for the marine food chain. Beginning Shirreffs, a senior policy advisor in the Everglades Foundation, told ThinkProgress that there has been reports of dead fish being found across the shoreline. This is particularly concerning because so many species will migrate to Florida to find comfortable water temperatures this season.
The neighborhood economy, much being driven by tourism, may also be negatively impacted by the polluted lake water. In 2013, the final time a substantial water discharge happened in southern Florida, locals dubbed the growing season the “lost summer time,” because of the downturn in tourism and beach-going because of the polluted seaside water. In 2015, FloridaRealtors, a trade organization representing the Florida property industry, commissioned research assessing the outcome water pollution on house values in Martin County, Florida. The outcomes were alarming. Throughout the “lost summer time,” aggregate property value fell half a billion dollars, as potential customers were unwilling to buy or purchase property which was near water which was both toxic and fairly disgusting.
In addition, as ocean levels rise, many Floridians are at this time dealing with seaside flooding even if it’s not raining. Metropolitan areas like Delray, which sits between your south from the lake and also the Atlantic, have faced elevated flooding because of greater ocean levels. Adding polluted lake water towards the mix makes this a lot more of an issue. It is also an issue for that thousands of sharks that will normally be farther south from the coast of Miami — but this season are from the coast of Foot. Lauderdale. They seem like carrying this out since the water is warmer — which puts them nearer to the polluted lake water.
