VENICE, Fla. — Sarasota County staff with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are cleaning up more than 445,000 gallons of sewage after a contractor struck a 16-inch pipe in Venice.
According to the DEP, a contractor working for a private developer struck the 16-inch pipe at a construction site next to Jacaranda Boulevard between Border Road and Laurel Road shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
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After hitting the pipe, the contractor quickly created a holding pit for the sewage to prevent it from leaving the construction site. The DEP said an estimated 448,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the pit.
The DEP said multiple emergency vendors were called in to deal with the spill.
"As of 8:00 a.m., staff has recovered 171,000 gallons of sewage with recovery efforts still ongoing."
No off-site storm water or surface waters were impacted.
