PALMETTO — As early as 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was predicting possible disaster at the old Piney Point phosphate plant in Manatee County if a plan to use the site for dredging went forward. ... The liner failed almost immediately after dredging began. Now, 10 years later, it has happened again.

What happens if Piney Point collapses?

Piney Point sits less than three miles from three important waterways — Tampa Bay, Bishop Harbor and Cockroach Bay. No matter which way a collapse spills, the water is bound to drain into those waterways, polluting aquatic resources with nutrient-rich water that could lead to a harmful algae bloom.

Is Piney Point still leaking?

While the seepage from the pond continued for weeks, none of that contaminated water has left the Piney Point site since April 8 when the discharge into Tampa Bay was turned off. The leak has been contained in stormwater ponds on the site, FDEP said.