Blue Origin seeks approval for wastewater treatment plant
Blue Origin is seeking permission to release industrial wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon. Under the proposal, the company would operate a 490,000-gallon-per-day industrial wastewater treatment plant, with 15,000 gallons per day being drained into an onsite stormwater pond and then the Indian River Lagoon.“I’m sure that a lot of people are concerned that toxic rocket propellants are gonna seep into the Blue Origin water — um, no,” Florida Tech’s Director of Spaceport Education Don Platt said. “But, there are considerations and ramifications of other chemicals.”Platt explained the company uses highly filtered water to test and clean rocket parts.”Things like machines that bend and machine the metal into the shapes needed for the rocket need to be cooled,” Platt said. “They use water for that, so of course that water has to go somewhere.” The permit states there are two options: to discharge the wastewater into the sewer system or into a large pond on site. The company says the water would be diluted before entering the pond and eventually streamed into the lagoon.”This is, is expected to be safe as the science we know today,” Platt said.This also isn’t something new.”This is a renewal of an existing agreement that has been in place for more than five years,” a spokesperson with Blue Origin told us via email. “We are committed to maintaining responsible and compliant operations.” Environmental protection agencies are supposed to make sure that the finalized agreement with Blue Origin allows chemicals to be at a concentration that is below what they would deem as dangerous.Brevard County Commissioners are expected to approve a motion at Tuesday night’s meeting. The motion would put a public hearing on the calendar to get community members’ input ahead of a permit being issued.
Blue Origin is seeking permission to release industrial wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon.
Under the proposal, the company would operate a 490,000-gallon-per-day industrial wastewater treatment plant, with 15,000 gallons per day being drained into an onsite stormwater pond and then the Indian River Lagoon.
“I’m sure that a lot of people are concerned that toxic rocket propellants are gonna seep into the Blue Origin water — um, no,” Florida Tech’s Director of Spaceport Education Don Platt said. “But, there are considerations and ramifications of other chemicals.”
Platt explained the company uses highly filtered water to test and clean rocket parts.
“Things like machines that bend and machine the metal into the shapes needed for the rocket need to be cooled,” Platt said. “They use water for that, so of course that water has to go somewhere.”
The permit states there are two options: to discharge the wastewater into the sewer system or into a large pond on site. The company says the water would be diluted before entering the pond and eventually streamed into the lagoon.
“This is, is expected to be safe as the science we know today,” Platt said.
This also isn’t something new.
“This is a renewal of an existing agreement that has been in place for more than five years,” a spokesperson with Blue Origin told us via email. “We are committed to maintaining responsible and compliant operations.”
Environmental protection agencies are supposed to make sure that the finalized agreement with Blue Origin allows chemicals to be at a concentration that is below what they would deem as dangerous.
Brevard County Commissioners are expected to approve a motion at Tuesday night’s meeting. The motion would put a public hearing on the calendar to get community members’ input ahead of a permit being issued.