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Water-Related News

Sanford moves forward on contamination ordinance after 1,4-dioxane was discovered in water wells

Sanford commissioners on Monday unanimously gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that requires anyone who causes or knows about a pollutant or toxic chemical being spilled or dumped on the ground or into a water body to quickly report it to the city and other authorities.

It’s an effort to protect the area’s groundwater, including the Floridan Aquifer, which is the primary source of drinking water for the region, according to city officials.

Assistant City Attorney Lonnie Groot said the proposed ordinance “adds an obligation to report” of a possible contamination “or that a possible spill occurred.”

Commissioner Sheena Britton questioned how the city would “monitor that” before voting to move forward with the proposed ordinance.

But Mayor Art Woodruff said the requirement is not necessarily to crack down with a heavy hand on someone who inadvertently spills a contaminant. Rather, it’s to make the public aware that pollutants can eventually make their way into the groundwater and aquifer.