Was there a stink in your neighborhood? DEP reports 15,000 gallons of spilled sewage

A lift station control unit failed in a an East Manatee neighborhood Wednesday night, causing 15,000 gallons of sewage to spill, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

About 8 p.m., a system failure shut down the pumps at the lift station located in the 3300 block of Lena Road, causing the collection system to be overwhelmed. The sewage backed up and then began discharging from four separate manhole covers, spilling onto residential streets.

The state reports that an unknown amount of sewage spilled into stormwater pipes that drain into nearby retention ponds.

DEP reports that the four manholes affected are in the 200 block of 64th Street Northeast and three separate manholes in the 100 block of Alpine Circle.

The lift station’s system was brought online within an hour but not before 15,000 gallons of sewage spilled from the system.

DEP reports that workers rinsed the roadways with potable water and state wastewater compliance staff inspected the area.

Compliance staff determined, “that the potentially impacted stormwater retention ponds were fenced, locked and inaccessible to the public so no samples were collected.”