BRADENTON, Fla. — The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a warning to the city of Bradenton over the continued spillage of sewage water into the Manatee River.
According to records, more than 50 million gallons of wastewater, some of which included raw sewage, have been dumped into the river.
The development has prompted a no-swim advisory and escalated concern from local environmental groups.
At one of the sites of discharge where the outflow of treated water goes into the Manatee River, the smell fills the area.
Over the past 30 days with nearly 25 inches of rain from Debby and the other storms that followed, officials said a lot more unprocessed sewage mixed into wastewater and made its way into the river.
"That's a lot of sewage that has gone into the Manatee River and out to the bay and we're going to feel the impacts of that for years," Dr. Abbey Tyrna from Suncoast Waterkeeper said.
Local environmentalists have said that the continued sewer spills in Bradenton are not just a result of being overwhelmed by extreme weather but from a lack of preparation and a reliance on outdated infrastructure.
"They're behind the curve. They know that and it wasn't until we shined the spotlight on this issue that traction, resources, and political will got behind the problem and started to work on it," Tyrna said.
City officials said they've been upgrading their systems by pressure lining around a third of compromised clay pipes throughout the city.
"We put about $50 million into that over the last five or six years. I don't think any plant in the state can handle 4 to 5 times more than what it would typically be rated to treat over a prolonged period of time at those peak flows," Rob Perry, Bradenton city manager, said.
Perry said similar ongoing situations are happening with other municipalities in the Tampa Bay area and across the state after the heavy rains started backing up the systems.
"On a typical day that you might treat 7 million gallons a day, you're getting 27 million coming through the plant because of the compromising of the inflow and infiltration through your collection system," he explained.
Researchers with the Suncoast Waterkeeper who have been testing the water say now is not the ideal time for swimming, fishing, and other water-related activities on the Manatee River.
"It's recommended to not swim. If you're going to paddle, paddle but just be safe and make sure that if you have any open wounds, you tend to them immediately or you know don't go if you have open wounds. I wouldn't go into the Manatee River right now," Tyrna added.
State and county officials are monitoring beach conditions. Moderate levels of bacteria were recently found at North Coquina Beach and Anna Maria Island Beach. Water conditions are listed as poor at Bayfront North and Palma Sola South where higher bacteria levels were detected.