VENICE

Sewage spills in Sarasota County and most is recovered

Staff Report
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
A Florida Department of Environmental Protection map shows the site of a sewage spill in South Sarasota County on Oct. 9, 2019.

Several thousand gallons of raw sewage spilled in South Sarasota County on Wednesday after a sewer pipe failed, the state reports. Most of the spill was recovered.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Sarasota County staff responded to a failed 8-inch sewer pipe in the 11000 block of Dancing River Drive shortly before noon. The leak was stopped shortly before 1 p.m.

READ MORE: See the latest Sarasota-Manatee environment news

About 6,800 gallons of raw sewage spilled onto a grassy area. Staff were able to recover about 6,000 gallons and cleaned the area by 7 p.m. No water samples were collected because the spill did not affect any bodies of water.

READ MORE: Sewer Crisis in the State of Florida

The county says it is identifying improvements to the system to prevent future spills.