PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Roughly 500,000 gallons of untreated wastewater spewed from a manhole in Pinellas County after a pumping station suffered several power failures Tuesday evening.
State authorities said a communications panel at the Clearwater City of Marshall Street WRF pumping station experienced two power failures just after 6 p.m.
A pollution notice stated, “This resulted in the influent pumps to cease running,” causing a backup into the collection system.
With nowhere to go, the wastewater spilled from a manhole directly upstream of the pump station, located at 1605 Harbor Dr. in Clearwater, for two hours.
Officials estimated the initial spill at 400,000 gallons. A second spill, which was estimated at 100,000 gallons, was also suspected to have reached Stevenson Creek although the exact amount is unknown.
The report shows 5,500 gallons were recovered.