If Ellenton smells Tuesday, this is why

More than 5,000 gallons of raw sewage has spilled in Ellenton, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The spill occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday near northwest corner of the intersection of 60th Avenue East and U.S. 301 in Ellenton, according to the notice sent Tuesday afternoon.

“Over 5,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from a 48’’ force main, near the intersection listed below in Ellenton, due to contractor error,” according to the notice.

The contractor hit the force main while installing a pole near the northwest corner of the intersection, according to Karen Briden, the county’s wastewater compliance supervisor.

“A final estimate for the total amount of wastewater discharged during this event has not been calculated due to ongoing repairs at the site but the amount is greater than 1,000 gallons,” Briden said in an email. “The discharged wastewater entered a storm drain at the intersection and flowed into a retention area on the south side of U.S. 301 N. which discharges into the Manatee River.”

County staff were able to stop the discharge by shutting off the lift station, which “feeds the affected force main and using pumper trucks to transport wastewater from the upstream lift station to a lift station downstream of the broken force main,” Briden said.

“Final repairs of the force main are currently being completed,” she said. “Compliance staff were on site today to take samples in the Manatee River which will be analyzed for fecal coliform and enterococcus.”

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 3:55 PM with the headline "If Ellenton smells Tuesday, this is why."