Tallahassee reports nearly a dozen sewage overflows after floodwaters overwhelm city

Homes, streets, schools and businesses woke up to substantial flooding after a powerful storm system barreled through Tallahassee early Thursday morning — and the torrential rains caused nearly a dozen sewer overflows.

The city reported 11 sewage spills to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection after as much as 14 inches of rainfall were dumped on the capital city and county.

"The weather system resulted in operational impacts to several pump station basins, causing sewer overflows," according to the "Public Notices of Pollution." "All pump stations are now fully operational, and the overflows have ceased."

Alison Faris, a city spokesperson, said this was an "unusual event" because of the overnight flash flooding.

"Crews, under extraordinary circumstances, worked vigorously to stop overflows and ensure all pump stations were fully operational in the same day," she told the Tallahassee Democrat.

The total amount spilled from each location is unknown. There is also little known about what bodies of water might be affected by the spills.

"While the amount of overflow cannot be measured due to the vast amount of rainfall, stormwater runoff is being tested for water quality, and all systems are operating normally today," Faris said.

According to the notices, untreated wastewater that should have been processed at the city's Thomas P. Smith Water Reclamation Facility on the city's south side instead overflowed at these locations:

• 101 Tropicaire St. between 5:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• 300 Appleyard Drive between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• 2049 Doomar Drive between 5:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• 500 Appleyard Drive between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• Tom Brown Park and Goose Pond Trail Bike Path between 5:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• 1662 W. Orange Ave. between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• Intersection of Progress Drive and Merchants Court between 5:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• 2811 W. Orange Ave. between 5:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• 3201 Springhill Road between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• 3466 Weems Road between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

• 941 Chipley St. between 5:15 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Spills caused by the storm follow several other spills that have been reported since the beginning of this year.

On March 11, the FDEP reported that 51,000 gallons — roughly the equivalent of 2 ½ backyard swimming pools — of untreated wastewater spewed out from a main water line that burst at a treatment facility on Capital Circle Southeast and Blair Stone Road.

Earlier that same day, 62,000 gallons of treated water  — roughly the equivalent of three backyard swimming pools — overflowed after a water line burst at a facility on Springhill Road.

Breaking & trending news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: In Tallahassee, flooding leads to almost a dozen sewage overflows