Bradenton
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.
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 6-inch force main caused approximately 17,700 gallons to spill. County staff were able to recover about 8,000 gallons of wastewater using a vac truck, the report said.
Sewage spills into Manatee River at Parrish development
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.
“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 investigates sewage spill
Reached for comment, a Manatee County Government spokesperson said staff could not determine what caused the spill. The force main that broke was installed 20 years ago, according to the county.
The county conducted water quality testing on July 10 in several areas of the Manatee River near the spill, a report provided to the Bradenton Herald says. The county said the results showed “minimal, if any” ongoing impacts to the river.
A map provided by Manatee County Government shows the source of a sewage spill in The Islands on the Manatee River development and locations where staff tested water quality afterward, according to the county. Provided image Manatee County Government
“These results are very low and indicate minimal, if any, impact from the (sanitary sewer overflow); instead, they reflect normal concentrations in the river,” a county spokesperson said via email. “We typically see fecal coliform/enterococci concentrations many orders of magnitude higher if a water body has been affected by raw wastewater.”
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.”
This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 5:50 AM.
Bradenton Herald
Ryan Ballogg is a local news and environment reporter and features writer at the Bradenton Herald. His work has received awards from the Florida Society of News Editors and the Florida Press Club. Ryan is a Florida native and graduate of USF St. Petersburg.
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