Late last week, the Mosaic Company released a statement informing the people of Polk County, Florida that a sinkhole had formed on the grounds of a fertilizer plant they operate. They went on to say that over 215 million gallons of "slightly radioactive" water flowed into the sinkhole and subsequently into the local aquifer.
The sinkhole measures 45 feet across and the depth has not yet been determined. It formed near a seepage collection basin which was the source of the hazardous water. Although the Mosaic Company was made aware of the sinkhole on August 27th, they did not inform local officials until this past week. Mosaic Company officials assure the public that the hazardous water has not yet escaped the boundaries of the plant property and believe that it will not do so.
Residents of Polk County are not happy and have requested water quality testing be performed to determine the safety of the drinking water. So far, 69 well tests have been scheduled and the Mosaic Company expects testing to be completed by the end of the week. In addition, Mosaic is paying for any third party testing of drinking water for residents of the area and is providing free bottled water.
The Mosaic company has begun removing the hazardous water from the hole and they estimate the repairs will cost $20-$50 million.
Source: ABC News
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