1.5 Deliver targeted education and incentives to the public to reduce sewage spills and overflows

Key Message: Disposal of inappropriate items such as baby wipes and kitchen grease down toilets and drains is a common cause of sewer blockages and overflows. Broken or leaking privately owned sewer lines are also a recurring problem, especially in older areas with aging infrastructure. Educating and incentivizing citizens to understand what can and cannot be disposed of down toilets, sinks, and drains—and the importance of maintaining their private sewer laterals—will reduce sewage spills and overflows that contribute nutrients and pathogens.

Importance

Disposal of inappropriate items down drains and toilets causes blockages in pipes, leading to backups, line breaks and sewage spills into the environment. Broken or leaky private sewer lateral lines that connect private property to the public centralized sewer system can also release raw sewage into the environment. Moreover, broken laterals can allow stormwater and groundwater to enter and overload the sanitary sewer system, causing backups and overflows of raw sewage. Raw sewage contains microplastics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, and nutrients that can degrade water quality and harm environmental and human health. Educating and incentivizing the public on appropriate disposal and maintenance responsibilities will reduce spills, overflows, and nutrient releases.

Overview

Since public reporting began in 2017, Sarasota County has reported 460 wastewater incidents through March 2025 (FDEP, 2025). Annual incidents have steadily declined from 104 in 2018 to 28 in 2023. However, 61 spills occurred in 2024, likely due to historic rainfall during an active hurricane season. Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) are primarily caused by line blockages and breaks and stormwater infiltration/inflow (see Chapter 1.4).

Line Blockages and Breaks

Line blockages and breaks can occur due to incursion of tree roots into lines or improper disposal of items such as fats, oils, and grease (FOG), trash, hand wipes and sanitary products. Such blockages can cause sewer backups into buildings or accumulate into large “fatbergs,” leading to major system failures.

Progress has been made in regulating and educating users to reduce FOG and improper disposals. Sarasota County Utilities, supported by UF/IFAS Extension, operates a FOG Management Program. Adopted through Ordinance No. 2019-023, the program requires businesses involved in food preparation to install and maintain grease traps and interceptors at regular intervals, retain maintenance records, use licensed haulers, and pay a monthly FOG fee.

As of April 2022, the program regulates 830 establishments. It offers a best management practices manual and an online dashboard tracking grease volumes hauled, compliance rates, and SSO blockages due to FOG. In 2024, the City of Sarasota and Sarasota County staff proactively assessed 50 restaurants and provided courtesy notices of concerns and corrective measures.

Education efforts on “unflushables” and “undrainables” are ongoing through Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, UF/IFAS Extension, and the Science and Environment Council, including webinars, websites, rack cards, and kiosks.

Infiltration and Inflow

The sanitary sewer system is not designed to carry stormwater or groundwater. During heavy rains, these waters can infiltrate cracked pipes, overwhelm system capacity, and cause manhole overflows or emergency discharges at wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) (Figure 1.5.1). Inflow can also occur through unauthorized connections such as yard and roof drains. While utilities maintain public pipes, property owners are responsible for private laterals that connect their home or business to the central system but are often unaware of this obligation.

Infiltration and inflow can be reduced through regular inspection and maintenance of aging infrastructure. Many pipes installed in the early and mid-20th century, made of cast iron or tar-coated paper, have deteriorated (see Chapter 1.3).

Typical laterals are about 50 feet long. With approximately 160,000 utility connections in Sarasota County, there may be over 1,500 miles of privately owned sewer lines. Replacing deteriorated pipes costs about $55–$75 per foot, totaling around $3,000 for a 50-foot lateral.

Florida Statute § 166.0481 Sanitary sewer lateral inspection programs for municipalities encouraged municipalities by July 2020 to create private sewer lateral inspection and rehabilitation programs. These programs aim to identify and repair faulty private laterals and maintain publicly accessible databases on their locations and status.

To incentivize homeowners to do their part, some local governments have enacted ordinances that allow inspections and remediation of private systems if a problem is found. Some issue fines for sewage releases from privately owned sewer pipes. Sarasota County’s Water Pollution Control Code (Sec. 54-181-193) provides for enforcement of repairs to leaking lateral lines on private property. In practice, enforcement only occurs when citizens report suspicious conditions that can be investigated by County enforcement inspectors.

In 2022, Sarasota County Government adopted Ordinance No. 2022–061 to minimize the introduction of stormwater, groundwater, or other flow into Sarasota County’s publicly owned sewer system; minimize the introduction of pollutants not typically found in sanitary wastewater into the county’s system; and ensure that owners of all privately owned sewer systems and owners of privately owned service laterals operate and maintain their systems in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. Sarasota County Government encourages residents to report pollution for enforcement action. An online report/incident form is available on the Sarasota Water Atlas.

The City of Gulfport offered residential sewer customers a 50% rebate, up to $3500, for lateral line inspection and repairs. The City of St Petersburg is developing an ordinance requiring homeowners to inspect, repair, or replace their sewer lateral lines. Before the ordinance takes effect, the city will test a pilot program that offers homeowners up to $800 to have their private lateral line inspected and up to $8,000 for any necessary repair work. Pilot neighborhoods were identified based on large variances in their wet- and dry-weather flows, suggesting the occurrence of inflow and infiltration. The Tampa Bay Estuary Program developed a bay area campaign to encourage homeowners to inspect and repair their private lateral lines.

Approach

Education and outreach remain essential to reducing improper disposal and line failures. A targeted campaign could expand upon existing materials from Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, the Science and Environment Council, and Sarasota County Stormwater Environmental Utility, or adapt successful models from the Tampa Bay area.

Due to the cost, voluntary private lateral inspection and repair is unlikely to occur except if reported or during the course of building renovations, making incentives necessary. Because broken private laterals can contribute to damages downstream in the public system, use of public funds may be justified to prevent those damages. A rebate program could be targeted to neighborhoods with high wet-weather flows and frequent SSOs. Utility fees, grants, or low-cost loans could fund incentives, similar to the My Safe Florida Home hurricane retrofit program. Private insurance premium credits for inspected systems may also be explored.

Resources

• City of Gulfport Rebate Program
• City of St Petersburg Pilot Rebate Program
• Sarasota County Public Utilities Fats Oils and Grease Best Management Practices Guide
• Sarasota County Public Utilities FOG Management Program performance dashboard
• Education and outreach materials are available from the Sarasota County Stormwater Environmental Utility, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, and the Science and Environment Council.
• Online form to report water pollution on the Sarasota Water Atlas

Status

Private lateral inspection and repair program — no activity

Outreach and education — ongoing; funding needed for wider distribution of messaging

Performance Measure

• Number of participants in private lateral inspection program
• Number of sanitary sewer overflows

Experts or Leads

Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida; Sarasota Bay Estuary Program; Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Program; Pinellas County Wastewater and Stormwater Partnership

Cost Estimate

$50,000-$100,000 educational campaign

$100,000-$1,000,000 incentives and rebates

Related Activities

Chapter 1.3, Chapter 1.4