The city of Bradenton settled a lawsuit from environmental advocacy groups over an estimated 160 million gallons of sewage dumped into the Manatee River since 2018.

The aging infrastructure at Bradenton's wastewater treatment facility has been overwhelmed by heavy rainfall on several occasions, causing raw and partially treated sewage to be diverted into the river. 

Four environmental advocacy groups that sued the city late last year announced settlement terms this week. The groups include Suncoast Waterkeeper, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Manasota-88, and Our Children’s Earth Foundation.

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“Wastewater systems and water infrastructure are woefully outdated in too many communities throughout Florida,” Suncoast Waterkeeper Founder Justin Bloom said. “The historic lack of investment in our infrastructure harms the health of our communities and waterways. This settlement guarantees that the city of Bradenton will make much-needed upgrades in their wastewater and sewage treatment system."

The settlement requires Bradenton to invest at least $220,000 in projects to improve local waters and estuarine habitats.

It also outlines deadlines for improvements to the city's sewage treatment plant meant to upgrade pumping, treatment, and disinfection capabilities. The city also will assess pipe conditions to find any leaks and ensure that backup power is available. 

City Administrator Rob Perry said Bradenton wants to protect the Manatee River from future sewage bypasses, and that the incidents only occurred during heavy rainfall events that overwhelmed the city's aged sewer and wastewater treatment infrastructure.

He said the city plans to use American Rescue Plan Act grant money to fund a large part of the efforts over the next three years.

“Aging infrastructure needs to be repaired, and our engineers have been dedicated to completing these necessary underground sewer piping system improvements for many years,” Perry said. “We’ve got a plan, we have the resources to implement that plan, and it is my responsibility to make sure we’re solidly positioned for the next 50 years.”