MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach residents are concerned, claiming 60 pumps installed to help with flooding issues are dumping out into Biscayne Bay.
The pumps were installed as part of a five-year $300 million project to address the city's flooding issues.
"We've got manatees, dolphins and other marine life that's living there, and if we're having a negative impact on those waters it's not only going to affect those creatures, but it'll affect tourism, real estate values and other things," Miami Beach resident Michael DeFilippi said.
Concerned residents said the dumping looks like oil sludge spewing into Biscayne Bay. Videos posted to a "Clean up Miami Beach" Facebook page are getting dozens of comments and being shared throughout social media. Many are asking the city to take a closer look at the pumps.
"We just want to make sure this huge investment the city is making is done in an ecological way where we protect the environment, because if we don't protect these waters in our environment, what do we have?" DeFilippi said.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine released a statement to residents, saying the only items they've noticed coming out of the outfall are small leaves, shreds of leaves and a few small plastic bags.
The mayor also claims the city is doing daily inspections and has not seen any oil spilled into the water.
The city has hired an independent environmental firm to test the water. Those results should be available in the next few days.
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