State undecided on possible penalty for Longboat Key’s 17-million-gallon sewage spill
The state of Florida has reduced the estimated amount of raw sewage that spilled near Sarasota Bay in June to 17 million gallons, as opposed to the original estimate of 26 million gallons.
The town of Longboat Key has not updated any information to the public since July 28, but on Tuesday, Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, tweeted the new information.
Buchanan said the state has not yet decided on any possible penalty to levy in connection with the spill.
“Just got off the phone with Florida’s secretary of Environmental Protection about his investigation of the sewage leak into Sarasota Bay,” Buchanan tweeted. “Secretary Noah Valenstein estimates the leak at 17 million gallons, not 26 as originally reported.”
Buchanan went on to say that, “No decision yet on whether the state will take action against Longboat Key for a delay in reporting the incident.”
The town’s only force main sewer line, which runs underneath Sarasota Bay to one of Manatee County’s wastewater treatment facilities on the mainland, broke around June 17.
The town maintains that the leak wasn’t detected until around June 29 because staff assumed low-flow rates being reported to the town by the county was due to maintenance.
When maintenance stopped, the low-flow rates did not and Manatee County utilities staff insisted Longboat Key begin looking for a possible leak. The leak was found in an area of thick mangroves on the mainland, about 300 feet offshore from the bay and the line was repaired.
The cause and extent of the break have remained unreported by Longboat Key officials. In its last update on July 28, the town said, “Forensic evaluations into the cause and extent of the force main leak are ongoing.”
Town staff reports that ongoing testing continues to show decreasing levels of bacteria, having done no cleanup and leaving Mother Nature to dissipate the spill.
Longboat Key and Florida environmental officials did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.