Neighbors around the Little Manatee River are furious. A sewage company wants to dump 50,000 gallons of human waste there every day.
The dumping of "biosolids and sludge” would essentially happen on a farmland, but neighbors are worried heavy amounts of rain could flush it down into the Little Manatee River.
It’s a proposal that has neighbors absolutely disgusted.
“Oh my God, that’s what went through my head," said Mariella Smith
Chris’s Plumbing, in Riverview, pumps waste out of porta potties and home and commercial septic tanks. Now, they want to dump that into 80-acres just South of state road 674.
Gus Muench lives on the river and as a seasoned crabber, is also concerned. The sewage company’s special use permit request shows they intend to dump up to 600 tons of this stuff a year. Despite their plan to keep it 200 feet away from the wetlands, Muench doesn’t buy it.
"Watching what heavy rains produce," he said, "It’s going to come into the river.”
From the wetlands, he says, straight into Little Manatee.
“It would be a toxic waste disaster waiting to happen," said Smith.
She is beyond concerned because not only does she live on the river but her family swims and fishes there as well.
“We’ll end up with fish kills stinking in the river and human health dangers," she said.
ABC Action News called and showed up to Chris’s Plumbing to get the owner’s side of the story, but was told to leave.
Smith is now gathering neighbors to protest this permit proposal. Smith and Muench have just one piece of advice for Chris’s plumbing.
“Move it into a different location!” said Muench.
Neighbors promising to show up and protest this proposal on June 19th during the land use hearing in Hillsborough County.
