17,000 gallons of sewage spilled at luxury homes in Florida. Check the fallout

Over 17,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled alongside the Manatee River when a county-operated wastewater pipe broke inside a developing gated community, according to a report filed by Manatee County officials.

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The spill happened on July 8, according to a pollution report sent from Manatee County Utilities Department to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Around 7:30 p.m., utilities staff were notified of a sanitary sewer overflow near a home on River Shores Trail in Parrish. The neighborhood is part of The Islands on the Manatee River, a 225-acre luxury waterfront community that started construction in 2008.

The county’s report said a break in a six-inch force main caused about 17,700 gallons to spill. County staff were able to recover about 8,000 gallons of wastewater using a vac truck, the report said.

Details of sewage spill into Manatee River

The remaining sewage, approximately 9,700 gallons, entered two stormwater retention ponds and then flowed into a mangrove area that flows into the Manatee River, the report said.

County staff stopped the discharge at 11 p.m. by turning off a lift station located upstream, the report said, and repairs were completed on the wastewater pipe that night.

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“Wastewater Compliance staff performed an investigation and will be collecting fecal coliform and E. coli samples to help evaluate the impact on the river,” the report said.

Manatee County Government did not respond to requests for comment about what caused the infrastructure failure or the status of water quality monitoring in the area.

Planned to include 178 homes, The Islands on the Manatee River community is nearly built out, with just a handful of lots unsold, according to the developer’s website.

“The Islands is a place where nature’s bounty is just the beginning of the excitement that will take your breath away,” the developer’s website says. “Situated on 225 acres of pristine private islands, this sanctuary features estate-sized homesites with picturesque harbors and navigable access to the tranquil waters of the Manatee River and onward to the Gulf of Mexico.”

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