Sewer Line Break Spills Sewage Into Sweetwater Creek

TAMPA, FL -- Hillsborough County Public Utilities has reported a sewer line break on West Clifton Street in Tampa that is leaking untreated sewage into a drainage canal.

The leak in the 12-inch sewage main was reported about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4, in the 6300 block of West Clifton. The drainage canal leads to Sweetwater Creek, which eventually flows into Tampa Bay.

Repairs are expected to be complete overnight. Utility crews have shut down the pump station and are assessing the size of the spill. Workers will use pumps to drain the sewage into tanker trucks.

The pipe break is not expected to affect sewer service to nearby homes. Repair crews are installing electronic signs to alert residents, and the utilities department has notified the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Commission.