ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, (WFLA) — St. Petersburg neighbors are stunned after witnessing a utility truck dumping some type of liquid at a city-owned boat ramp.

It happened at the Sunlit Cover Boat Ramp, just south of Gandy Boulevard. Chris Powers is concerned about the water quality after witnessing it, so he turned to 8 On Your Side.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

8 on Your Side

The city said it is simply stormwater, but Powers and his neighbors aren’t so sure.

Powers raised his family in the Riviera Bay neighborhood.

“I raised my young-ins here, so I still look after it I still feel like it’s a part of me, so we’ll speak our mind,” he said.

Powers was about to go fishing on Friday but was appalled when he saw a Stormwater, Pavement and Traffic Operations city truck back into the Sunlit Cove Boat Ramp and dump hundreds of gallons of the murky liquid, which ran right into the bay. He wondered if it was harmful and said it happened multiple times.

“They proceeded to dump an amazing amount of I don’t know what it was,” Powers said. “The longer that you watched, the darker and nasty it got. That’s when it started stinking, and it’s really oily. You could see the machine in the water. It’s the road cars drip oil.”

SPTO Director, Marshall Hampton, said city crews vacuumed out the stormwater from a vault in the neighborhood — which consisted of tidal water, groundwater, and stormwater runoff — then discharged it at the boat ramp.

“I called the FWC, I called the EPA. I called [8 On Your Side],” Powers responded.

8 On Your Side then took Powers’ concerns to Hampton.

“We were doing maintenance work and so we had rushing saltwater coming in from high tide so we wanted to get the water out safely so we could do maintenance work,” Hampton said.

Hampton said stormwater is drained into the bay, which is not uncommon for coastal communities. The city added it follows required federal and state environmental and stormwater permits.

“What’s unique about Florida is we have our own containing systems, so the sanitary sewer system is separated from the stormwater system,” said Hampton.

Powers is protective and wants to make sure families get to experience the beauty of Riviera Bay like his did.

“This piece is just a piece of heaven,” Powers said. “It really is because it’s all natural. It’s just what mother nature gives us.”

Since 8 On Your Side began asking questions on Friday, the city said it began taking samples and self-reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.