‘Solids overload.’ Bradenton spills more than a million gallons of sewage into river

The city of Bradenton reported late Tuesday that 1.1 million gallons of “partially” treated sewage spilled into the Manatee River after equipment at a treatment facility malfunctioned.

Water quality testing is underway.

According to a report submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the spill began around 2 p.m. Tuesday at the city’s water reclamation facility at 1810 First St. W.

City staff reported that the facilities nitrification filters became plugged due “to a solids overload.”

The system had to be bypassed for about four hours and the partially treated sewage “was released to the Manatee River,” the report states.

Repairs to the filters were completed around 6 p.m. and the facility resumed normal operations.

This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 9:17 AM.