Mix of approximately 4,000 gallons of sewage and stormwater recovered from catch basin
On July 5, the loss of power at a Sarasota County lift station resulted in approximately 3,000 gallons of raw sewage flowing out of a manhole located at 4719 Camphor Ave. in Sarasota, county staff reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
A mix of about 4,000 gallons of sewage and stormwater was recovered, the report noted.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains, “Wastewater lift stations are facilities designed to move wastewater from lower to higher elevation through pipes. Key elements of lift stations include a wastewater receiving well (wet-well), often equipped with a screen or grinding to remove coarse materials; pumps and piping with associated
valves; motors; a power supply system; an equipment control and alarm system; and an odor control system and ventilation system.”
The county crew that responded to the call about the manhole situation found that the lift station had lost power because of a tripped breaker, county staff explained in the report.
“Staff quickly stopped the spill by flipping the breaker,” the advisory to FDEP pointed out.
The sewage flowed into a catch basin, the report noted, but no waterways were affected. Thus, the report said, no sampling was required in an effort to protect public safety.
The cleanup of the site was handled in accord with county protocol, the report continued. “Staff will be looking into the breaker trip,” the report further noted.
The Camphor Avenue site is north of Proctor Road, east of Swift Road and west of South Lockwood Ridge Road, a map shows.
The incident was reported at 3:15 p.m. on July 5; it took the county crew until 5:15 p.m. to resolve the situation, the report added.
The affected lift station is part of the infrastructure associated with the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility, which is the county’s largest wastewater plant. It is located at 5550 Lorraine Road in Sarasota.