Can Lime Sludge save the Florida Everglades?

Florida has been discharging millions of gallons of fresh water into the Atlantic ocean for years. This plan of eliminating stress from Lake Okeechobee has destroyed the Eastern coast of Florida. No longer are there the beautiful reefs, now stuff looks like red toilet paper flying in the breeze clinging onto whatever it can. For years environmentalist have warned Florida and the Army Corps of Engineers about this destructive plan, to no avail. So once again attempts will be made to present a plan to filter the water prior to discharge into the Everglades.

For many of the water treatment plants serviced throughout the years DRD Enterprises used draglines. A dragline not only can reach farther out than an excavator it can go deeper too.

For over 20 years DRD Enterprises Inc of Davie has been contacting Florida officials about a surplus material that can be obtained for just the trucking cost, yet no official has ever considered this solution to Florida's pollution problems? Within the last few months Florida witnessed an enormous amount of algae bloom due to the run off from Lake Okeechobee. Now Florida sees a need to catch this runoff before it gets sent down stream. Once again I will attempt to contact somebody in the Florida Department of Environmental about the use of this filtration product that can be used to create berms for reservoirs.

Approximately 12 years ago engineers for the South Florida Water Management District took samples of the excavated lime sludge for analysis. They found the material to be an excellent growth medium for pond and river beds and layered several inches of lime sludge onto the base of the reservoirs in Palm Beach County. Because this material, once dried, becomes limestone again with very little percolation, especially with a thickness of 4 or more feet. Any water that does percolate through will have little to no contaminants.

By organizing excavation and hauling of all the various water treatment plants in Broward , Dade and Palm Beach Counties Florida would have enough material to create large Berms out of Calcium Carbonate. By Florida taking the hauling and disposal burden off each County or City will in turn save the tax payers millions. Hauling and Disposal for Miami Dade County alone is in excess of 12 million dollars for hauling and disposal several million tons of clean fill to a lake fill. Creating berms using FREE fill and in turn reducing the budgets of cities and counties seems like a no brainer? Once again follow the money.

These berms would create a basin to hold millions of gallons of water that can be gradually filtered into a discharge spillway. Lining these berms with thick mill rubber matting assures stability of the calcium carbonate.