SARASOTA -- More than 300,000 gallons of wastewater got discharged after a 16-inch pipe ruptured Friday night.
City officials say the spill near Shade Avenue and 8th Street released the wastewater into Whitaker Bayou and other parts of the system.
The city says crews replaced the pipe by Saturday afternoon and finished cleanup Saturday evening.
Sarasota's utility director says the pipe was installed around 1977, and similar pipelines have a 70 year lifespan, making the break unexpected.
“Examination of the pipe revealed the pipe ruptured due to corrosion which is somewhat unusual given the age of the pipe” Utilities Director Bill Riebe said in a city news release. “The pipe was installed approximately 45 years ago. The expected lifespan of similar pipelines is approximately 70 years. The rupture certainly was unexpected.” Technicians and engineers are evaluating the entire pipeline.
Meantime, Haines City in Polk County is facing a $75,000 fine over a broken pipe that spilled around 800,000 gallons of wastewater into Lake Eva last May. That pipe was installed around 1922, according to the city.
Photo: City of Sarasota