ORLANDO, Fla. — Cleanup is ongoing in Orange County after more than 340,000 gallons of wastewater spilled near the Aquatica parking lot earlier this month, county officials said.
The first spill happened Sept. 6. After temporary fixes failed, another spill happened Sept. 10. Repairs are now complete, but crews are continuing to remove soil impacted by sewage and Orange County plans to take it to the county landfill.
Orange County said the sewage did not reach surface water or a nearby creek, and the county said there are no environmental impacts. County officials said they are following all protocols required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. At this time, the county said it has not been told to conduct any further testing of soil or groundwater in the area.
While crews were making repairs, about a dozen manhole covers overflowed in the nearby Williamsburg neighborhood. Several people who live in the area said they noticed a strong sewage smell last week but were not notified by the county about what happened.
Orange County said it is not required to alert residents because the spill did not happen on anyone’s property. In a statement, the county said, “The Orange County Utilities team apologizes to the residents impacted and is looking at expanding customer communications beyond the regulatory requirements.”
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said it is investigating the incident and will determine whether any additional steps are needed once the investigation is complete.