One incident involves about 9,700 gallons
Two more sewage spills occurred in the city of Sarasota in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Eta’s passage through the Gulf of Mexico last week, as indicated in reports filed with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
Those followed three others, including one in Sarasota County, as The Sarasota News Leader reported on Nov. 13.
At 2 p.m. on Nov. 12 — the day after the area suffered the most significant wind and rain — city crews found an overflowing manhole located at the intersection of Northwest Drive and North Drive in the Cherokee Park neighborhood off South Osprey Avenue, the city notified FDEP. Approximately 9,700 gallons of wastewater were released because of “extreme rainfall” from Tropical Storm Eta, the report noted.
City staff used a truck produced by the company Vactor to pump effluent from the manhole, the report continued. Then the sewage was hauled to the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant on 12th Street, the report added.
“Some of the release entered [stormwater] drains,” the report said, so water samples were to be taken, in an effort to safeguard public health.
The situation was resolved by 4 p.m. on Nov. 12, the report pointed out.
The other situation was discovered earlier in the day.
At 11 a.m. on Nov. 12, city staff responded to “a slight overflow” of sewage at Lift Station 25, that report noted. “Hurricane/Tropical storm Eta caused very hard rainfall resulting in surging flows,” the report said.
“Approximately 120 gallons were released, but all was contained on site,” the report added.
The site of that event was 5001 Sun Circle, the report noted. Sun Circle is within the Indian Beach/Sapphire Shores residential community in north Sarasota.
“The area was disinfected with lime and cleaned up,” the report said.
The city has an advanced wastewater treatment system, which operates out of the Utilities Department facility located at 1750 12th St., the report pointed out.