About 5,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled near this popular Bradenton-area park, DEP says

About 5,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled from a lift station several blocks east of Nathan Benderson Park and just south of two large retention ponds near Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Deer Drive.

None of the raw sewage was able to be recovered, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP reports the spill occurred Friday morning and there is no indication any of the sewage made its way into the nearby surface waters.

“No surface waters were impacted, so no sampling is necessary,” according to the DEP.

The Fruitville Master Lift Station began indicating warning signs and crews responded to find a damaged control circuit that had shut down the pumps, causing the system to backup and overflow on site.

DEP reports: “It appears as though an improper connection in the electrical panel may have disabled the control circuitry. Repairs have been made and the station is operational.”

Crews spread lime around the affected area and the cleanup process was monitored by DEP to ensure the process followed protocol.

The pump is currently operating as normal after repairs were made.