Incident occurs at West John Ringling Causeway Park
On March 1, approximately 14,000 gallons of raw sewage “spilled directly into Sarasota Bay” as a result of damage to a 14-inch sewer force main located near the West John Ringling Causeway Park, city Utilities Department staff has reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
On-call city staff received a report late in the morning of Sunday, March 1, about “water coming up out of the ground” in the park, the notice to FDEP said. When staff members arrived at the scene, the report continued, they “found that the concrete vault over [a] 2-inch air release valve had shifted” as a result of soil erosion, likely a problem that began with the effects of the 2024 hurricane season, the report added. The shift in the vault broke the 14-inch by 2-inch “saddle” on the 14-inch force main, the notice explained.
Only about 100 gallons of the sewage was recovered, the report noted.
The Joints Couplings website says that the type of saddle referenced in the report is a connector that links a lateral pipeline to a main sewer line and storm drains.
In regard to air release valves: Crane Engineering explains that they “are installed at the highest points in a pipeline where air naturally collects. Air bubbles enter the valve and displace the liquid inside, lowering the liquid level. When the level drops to where it no longer buoys the float, the float drops. This motion pulls the seat away from the orifice, triggering the valve to open and vent the accumulated air into the atmosphere. As the air is vented, liquid re-enters the valve, once again buoying the float, lifting it until the seat presses against the orifice, closing the valve. This cycle automatically repeats as often as necessary to maintain an air-free system.”
Further, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency points out that sewer force mains “are pipelines that convey wastewater under pressure from the discharge side of a pump or pneumatic ejector to a discharge point. Pumps or compressors located in a lift station provide the energy for wastewater conveyance in force mains.”
City staff members installed a repair clamp over the 2-inch hole in the 14-inch force main, “which stopped the spill,” the report added. Then the employees applied lime to the site and washed down and vacuumed up the remnants of the spill, the report said.
“The material was disposed of at the city’s wastewater treatment facility,” the report added. Further, a sign about the spill was installed at the site, the report noted, and water samples were being taken in an effort to protect the public.
The start of the incident was put at 11:21 a.m. on March 1; staff’s work at the site concluded at 4 p.m., the report said.