Yikes CREWS MONITORING UTILITIES SYSTEMS Sarasota, FL: Utilities crews across the State of Florida, including the City of Sarasota are closely monitoring the continued heavy rainfall and the subsequent effects on wastewater systems. In the City of Sarasota, additional personnel and equipment have been called in to take pressure off the system. Currently, the wastewater system is handling six times its regular flow. “This is a challenging situation,” said City Manager Tom Barwin who toured an area near Lincoln Drive and Alta Vista Street early this afternoon where three trucks are pumping wastewater directly out of the system and delivering it to the City’s treatment facility. Each truck can carry 3,000 gallons. To see video of utilities crews working on site click here. youtube/watch?v=CXHbCLBZWpY&feature=youtu.be “Mostly what we’re seeing right now is heavy rainwater infiltration due to the saturated ground with some overflow coming out of storm drains. We’re taking proactive steps to minimize overflows,” said Mr. Barwin. Typically, the City’s wastewater flow rate is 5-6 million gallons per day. The ongoing rain event in Sarasota has elevated the flow to approximately 27 million gallons. “We’re supporting normal operations by pumping and trucking water from the system as quickly as we can,” said Utilities Director Mitt Tidwell. “Extra staff and trucks are on site. The good news is we’re holding our own right now, and any overflows we’re experiencing are 99 percent rainwater. As soon as it stops raining we’ll see relief.” The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports that at least 20 other municipalities from Sarasota County to Lee County are reporting overflows and are experiencing abnormal utility issues because of the tremendous rainfall. For more information contact Mitt Tidwell: 941-365-2200 ext. 6210.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 18:07:46 +0000
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