More than 170,000 gallons of reclaimed sewer water spills near Manatee-Sarasota line

More than 170,000 gallons of reclaimed sewer water spilled from a ruptured reuse line Tuesday morning southwest of Nathan Benderson Park and just to the northwest of Bobby Jones Golf Club in Sarasota, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The DEP released a public notice of pollution on Wednesday, noting that more than 30,000 gallons of the reclaimed water spilled into a canal that leads to into the Phillippi Creek basin.

“Surface water sampling is currently ongoing,” the report states. “Clean up and notifications are proceeding per protocol.”

DEP reports that a 3-inch line “ruptured,” which caused the 170,500 gallons to spill into the grassy area that surrounds land where a former treatment plant stood.

The 30,000 gallons made its way into the canal, but DEP is reporting that only 25,000 gallons of reclaimed water was recovered following the spill, leaving more than 100,000 gallons unaccounted for other that what seeped into the ground at the spill site.

Reclaimed water is often used for irrigation but is considered undesirable to drink. Though it is “highly treated” recycled wastewater, reclaimed water is known to contain small concentrations of inorganic contaminates, according to the University of Florida.

Though used for mostly watering lawns, reclaimed water also is not recommended for use on crops.