SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – A broken valve caused 14,000 gallons of raw wastewater to be dumped into Sarasota Bay March 1, the City of Sarasota has reported.
In a notice released Monday from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, city workers were notified of water coming up out of the ground at West John Ringling Causeway Park.
Workers found that a concrete vault over an air release valve had shifted due to soil erosion, likely during the 2024 hurricane season, and broke a connector attached to the 14-inch sewage line.
“About 14,000 gallons of raw wastewater spilled directly into Sarasota Bay,” the report noted.
City staff installed a repair clamp over the two-inch hole in the sewage line, which stopped the spill.
Staff applied lime, washed down and vacuumed up remnants of the spill, the report said.
The material was disposed of at the city’s wastewater treatment facility.
A sign has been placed at the spill location, and water samples are being taken, the report said.
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