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Pollution From Fertilizer Plant Found In Water

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MULBERRY, Fla. (CBSMiami/AP) — A fertilizer company spokeswoman said a well on its property has seen contamination spread from a huge sinkhole that sent contaminated water and fertilizer into Florida's main drinking water aquifer.

Mosaic Co. spokeswoman Jackie Barron on Thursday said one well on the fertilizer plant's property has found contamination spread, not multiple wells as she previously stated.

So far, more than 200 million gallons of tainted water from the central Florida fertilizer plant owned by Mosaic Co. has drained from a waste heap through a 45-foot-wide hole down into the Floridan aquifer, which provides water to millions of people in the state.

Many of the plant's neighbors are waiting anxiously for test results from their wells, but the company and environmental officials say they don't believe the contamination moved off the plant's property.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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