Pumping Polluted Water Ok'd for Lake Okeechobee

SunSentinel

Five years ago, the SFWMD stopped the practice of pumping polluted stormwater, which had drained off farmland, into Lake Okeechobee for storage after the level of phosphorus and pesticides in the lake created environmental concern. However, the District has recently agreed to explore back-pumping during the rainy season to make more water available during droughts.

Challengers of this decision claim back-pumping to Lake Okeechobee would, once again, increase pollutants in the Lake and reduce the water available for replenishing the Everglades, while supporters claim the water subject to back-pumping is “watered down” in the rainy season and would otherwise be let out to sea to provide flood control.

 

For further information on the positive and negative aspects of re-allowing back-pumping into Lake Okeechobee and the opinions of both proponents and opponents of the idea, please visit our source site:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-backpumping-decision-20120809,0,4835997.story