8-inch sewer pipeline damaged
On Oct. 9, after a boring contractor hit a Sarasota County sewer force main located at 5353 S. Beneva Road in Sarasota, approximately 16,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled, but county staff was able to recover only about 4,200 gallons, staff reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
County staff received a call about 10:45 a.m. on Oct. 9 regarding the pipeline situation, the report says. When county workers arrived at the scene, it notes, they confirmed that the 8-inch sewer force main had been broken. “Staff quickly stopped the spill by turning off the nearby lift stations,” the report points out.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains, “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.”
“A wastewater lift station,” High Tide Technologies points out, “is a pumping station that moves wastewater from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. The benefit of using a lift station in a sewage collection system is that it saves a substantial amount of money in excavation costs, which involves digging for sewer pipes. Sewer pipes live underground, and digging trenches is costly. Installing a wastewater lift station at certain points in a gravity pipeline system saves on front-end construction costs without sacrificing efficiency or functionality. They play an integral role in moving sewage to a wastewater treatment plant.”
County staff also informed FDEP, “Waterways and stormwater structures were affected.” Therefore, the report says, sampling would be necessary in an effort to protect public health.
The clean-up of the affected area proceeded in accord with county protocol, the report continues.
It was 1 p.m. when the work was completed, the report notes.
County staff will file a claim to try to seek reimbursement from the contractor for the damage, the report points out.
The sewer force main is part of the infrastructure associated with the Central County Water Reclamation Facility, which stands on Palmer Ranch, the report says.