New Port Richey plans to conduct environmental testing on Orange Lake, a central fixture in downtown New Port Richey. Gaydos Hydros Services has been hired by the city to pump up to five feet of water ouf of the lake to see if it replenishes on its own. If the water is replaced quickly, according to the consultant, it means there is a connection to the Florida Aquifer.

Gaydos officials say that the lake’s health will not be affected by the pumping and that initial testing shows that the lake is a “remnant sinkhole”, not a spring.

Orange Lake has a long history in New Port Richey and an ancient origin. Calusa Indians were believed to have used the lake as a shrine and to bury their dead using floating funeral pyres. The lake used to be referred to as “Blue Sink” or “Mirror Lake” because of its clear blue waters. The writers at Pascocemeteries.org claim the current dark water of the lake is caused by pollution from runoff from stormwater drains in the City.

By Jon Tietz