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Manatee County officials say a Piney Point deep well injection is the least offensive option

Manatee County officials are pushing for approval of a plan to pump hundred of millions of gallons of polluted water from the troubled Piney Point phosphate plant into the underground aquifer.

More than 200 million gallons of polluted water flowed from the Piney Point phosphate plant into Tampa Bay earlier this year.

Despite pending legal challenges from several environmental groups, Manatee County officials say they're ready to start pumping the remaining water underground.

Some people say that could eventually pollute the source of the area's drinking water.

But on Wednesday night in Bradenton, County Administrator Scott Hopes said during an informational meeting on the plan that he doubts that will happen. WUSF's Steve Newborn asked Hopes if this is the only plan they are contemplating.