Bradenton wastewater plant could overflow, Manatee reports line breaks during Hurricane Ian
The Bradenton wastewater treatment plant reached capacity and Manatee County started reporting issues Wednesday afternoon as Hurricane Ian was nearing landfall on Florida’s west coast.
The Bradenton plant is in danger of overflowing, the city announced on Twitter just after 11:30 a.m.
Residents were asked to conserve water by:
- Not doing dishes
- Not doing laundry
- Limit showers
- Flush the toilet only when necessary
Just before 2 p.m., Manatee County government announced there is a water line break in the potable system that cannot be repaired until storm conditions improve. Two additional lines were reported broken but have been repaired.
About 15% of sewage lift stations are also without power, so residents have been asked to limit flushing.
Previous issues with Bradenton plant
Bradenton’s wastewater treatment plant was the target of a lawsuit earlier this year that forced city leaders to spend $8 million on an upgrade that should prevent future spills from happening.
The aging system is susceptible to overflows during heavy rain because groundwater enters the sewers and pushes the system to maximum capacity. An emergency bypass allows raw and partially treated sewage to discharge into the Manatee River, in order to protect the plant.
Hurricane Ian is expected to drop more than 11 inches of rain in the Bradenton area in the next 48 hours, according to the latest weather forecast from the National Hurricane Center.
According to a recent spill report submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, heavy rain also overloaded the wastewater treatment plant earlier this month. On Sept. 12, site operators reported 9 million gallons of partially treated wastewater spilled into the Manatee River.
According to the lawsuit, which alleged a violation of the federal Clean Water Act, Bradenton has released at least 30 million gallons of sewage into the Manatee River since July 2017.
As part of the lawsuit’s settlement agreement, the city is required to put together a comprehensive wastewater management plan that involves replacing aging sewer pipes and upgrading the current wastewater treatment facility.
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 12:17 PM.
