An operator error led to a chlorine disinfection violation in Bradenton, Florida, on November 21, 2024, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
A WFLA news article stated that, on November 21, officials said there was a period of high chlorine demand due to backwash from 6:28 p.m. to 9:38 p.m.
The article states that one of the operators reacted incorrectly, which caused the residual chlorine to fall below the limit in one of the plants chambers. As a result, the wastewater was not fully treated.
An incoming operator noticed the error and corrected the issue by pouring bleach back into chamber, according to DEP.
The article states that roughly 525,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater went through the system.
DEP states that the city of Bradenton is ensuring additional on-the-job training to ensure all operators are informed with the base knowledge.
