PALM BAY, Fla. — The city of Palm Bay is still awaiting test results on the major wastewater spill that flowed into the Indian River Lagoon earlier this week.
What You Need To Know
- A wastewater line break is estimated to have leaked 3 million gallons of wastewater into Turkey Creek
- Of that, officials say 2 million gallons were recovered
- Palm Bay officials are waiting for water testing results
Signs remain up along Turkey Creek warning about the discharge of 3 million gallons of wastewater after a line break on Clearmont Street. Officials say they have recovered 2 million gallons of the spill.
The city has started water sampling from five monitoring locations, and testing will continue a 24-hour cycle that will be ongoing for the next three to four weeks.
“Crews remain on site and are expected to continue work at least until this coming Saturday,” Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina said.
The Marine Resources Council in Palm Bay is dedicated to protecting and restoring the Indian River Lagoon.
Every two weeks, they send water monitors to Turkey Creek to take bacteria water samples to run through their lab as a part of the Lagoon Watch Citizen Scientist program.
This week happened to be a sample week, and what they found was much different from normal.
“It showed a lot of internal bacteria — so, bacteria that originates in the gut of mammals and birds,” said MRC Executive Director Laura Wilson.
Under the black light, scientists can see the difference between clean water samples and the ones containing bacteria.
“They recovered two-thirds of what came out," Wilson said of the spill. "Unfortunately, it’s a huge volume."
The city is considering additional signage in the area waterways.
City officials say water quality test results are expected back any time, and they will guide crews on the next steps in their cleanup response.