By: WCTV Eyewitness News

November 7, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says a sewage leak has occurred near the 3400 block of Weems Road, along the bike path towards Tom Brown Park.

Officials say they estimate 10,000 gallons of sewage overflowed from the manhole and gathered in a ditch that runs along the southside of the bike path.

FDEP says a city sewer contractor was doing work on the gravity main and installed a temporary bypass pump to isolate the area of the main for the work to be completed, but the pump had a float ball failure which did not allow the pump to come on and sewage began to back up into the main, overflowing through a manhole.

Officials say work crews discovered the leak around 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

Authorities say none of the overflowed volume reached any surface waters and 2,400 gallons of sewage was recovered from the ditch, while the remainder was absorbed into the surrounding soils.

Officials say the impacted soils were treated with disinfectant and taped off to prevent any contact with the public.

Officials say work will continue on the main and additional staff will be assigned to monitor the bypass pump and upstream of the gravity system.