A steady stream of sewage spills continues to plague Bradenton-area waters in the weeks since Hurricane Debby overwhelmed local wastewater systems.
The storm’s record-breaking rainfall resulted in millions of gallons of contaminated water escaping into the environment. In Bradenton, city officials reported bypassing roughly 25 million gallons of water containing raw sewage from the wastewater plant into the Manatee River.
Heavy summer rains in recent weeks have continued to strain local wastewater infrastructure, and Bradenton’s discharge into the Manatee River is ongoing. As of Wednesday, the city of Bradenton has released another 39 million gallons of wastewater into the Manatee River, records say.
In the last week, Manatee County reported wastewater spills totaling over 50,000 gallons. Palmetto’s wastewater plant filed 20 pollution notices with state regulators, but spill amounts were not disclosed.
The spills have left many residents and visitors wondering if it is safe to swim at the beach and in other local waters.