Fla. Gov. DeSantis refutes report of ‘radioactive water’

April 4, 2021 KayAdmin US 0

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 06: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference about the opening of a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Hard Rock Stadium on January 06, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. The governor announced that the stadium's parking lot which offers COVID-19 tests will begin to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for residents 65 and older to drive up and get vaccinated. The vaccination site opened today for a trial run but it was not known when it will be open to the general public. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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UPDATED 1:50 PM PT – Sunday, April 4, 2021

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) issued a state of emergency in three counties due to possible flooding in the Tampa Bay Area. In a news conference Sunday, DeSantis said state and federal emergency teams are on stand-by at the Piney Point Reservoir.

“So what we’re looking at now, is trying to prevent and respond to, if need be, a real catastrophic flood situation,” DeSantis stated.

This aerial photo taken from an airplane shows a reservoir near the old Piney Point phosphate mine, Saturday, April 3, 2021 in Bradenton, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday after a significant leak at a large pond of wastewater threatened to flood roads and burst a system that stores polluted waters. The pond where the leak was discovered is at the old Piney Point phosphate mine, sitting in a stack of phosphogypsum, a waste product from manufacturing fertilizer that is radioactive. (Tiffany Tompkins/The Bradenton Herald via AP)

This aerial photo taken from an airplane shows a reservoir near the old Piney Point phosphate mine, Saturday, April 3, 2021 in Bradenton, Fla. (Tiffany Tompkins/The Bradenton Herald via AP)

He refuted mainstream media speculation that has called the potential flooding “radioactive water.” The Florida governor said a possible flood is a bigger concern than the quality of water.

Today I joined state officials in Manatee County who are actively responding to Piney Point and deploying all necessary resources. Please follow @FLSERT and @FLDEPNews for updates and monitor local alerts and evacuation orders. https://t.co/ACdrUdOkpO pic.twitter.com/ayOGoLR3Oo

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 4, 2021

“Water quality issues that are flowing from this, for us, is less than the risk of everyone’s health and safety, particularly folks who may live in the area,” DeSantis noted. “So public health and safety is the top priority, and obviously, we want to protect in a way that minimizes any of the environmental impacts.”

The Republican governor also stressed, the water is not radioactive and a flood will likely not happen.