Gov. Ron DeSantis traveled to Indiantown Friday, his second visit to Martin County this week, to announce an milestone in Everglades restoration.
"Today is a really, really big day. For the first time ever we'll be pumping water into the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area that will clean more than 46 billion gallons of water bound for the St. Lucie Estuary each year," DeSantis said.
Water is now pumping into areas that will make up a 6,300-acre wetland and will allow plants to grow to cleanse the water flowing through the treatment area. This is reducing nutrient levels and improving the water quality in the downstream estuary, according to the governor.
"By next year we'll have the entire treatment area finished and in the following year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete the 3,400-acre C-44 Reservoir right next door. So, once the reservoir is complete we'll be able to store more than 60,000 acre feet of water from the local C-44 Basin and water release from Lake Okeechobee to the C-44 Canal reducing the need for discharges into the St. Lucie Estuary," DeSantis said.
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The governor said Friday's announcement was more than 20 years in the making, and it isn't the only environmental project his administration is undertaking. He said they have numerous projects to improve water quality.
The event took place at the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area Project Site located at 13235 SW Minute Maid Rd. in Indiantown. The Governor was in Lee County on Tuesday to announce a new online resource that will allow the public to find out current water quality numbers and projects.
