MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The city of Bradenton says it has found alternative ways to dispose of treated wastewater other than discharging it into the Manatee River.

But the city has a long record of waste spillage.

On Feb. 28, 1.2 million gallons were spilt after an operational failure led to a blockage, according to the city.

Abbey Tyrna took note, as keeping the environment and water clean is something she is serious about.

“I love the water, I love to swim in and near the water,” she said. Tyrna is the executive director for Suncoast Waterkeeper, an organization that protects our waters by taking weekly water samples to test if it's safe to swim and keeps a close eye on how waters are treated.

“We take responsible, legal action when necessary and sued five municipalities across the Tampa Bay and Suncoast regions,” she said.

That includes Bradenton. Tyrna said the city had dumped so much waste into the Manatee River that the only option left was to take legal action.

“They had been spilling hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage, whether that be partially treated or raw or fully treated, into the Manatee River. Any way you look at it, that is illegal,” she said.

Suncoast Waterkeeper settled its suit with the city in 2022. It included a plan for the city to meet new requirements to keep the waters clean that Tyrna said could take a long time to complete.

“They are behind the curve on infrastructure, and they’ve had aging infrastructure for decades and have kicked the can down the road to do anything about it,” she said.

But the city of Bradenton said they have transitioned away from discharging treated wastewater into the Manatee River. The city provided a statement to Spectrum Bay News 9 that reads:

“With ongoing recruitment efforts and external support through state funding, we’re confident in our ability to make meaningful progress toward long-term solutions for our community.”

But one hurdle the city is facing with water treatment is staffing issues. The statement goes on to read:

“In an effort to attract and retain employees, the city has increased the pay for operators this past year, bringing the city within range of both the state and national averages.”

Tyrna says the city is putting in effort by investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to install oysters in the Manatee River in hopes of better water quality.

But even so, she says her team will continue to keep a close eye on the city.

“Water is important to our area. It drives our local economy. You wouldn’t want to see that water be destroyed by the actions of a few,” she said.

According to the city of Bradenton, roughly $3 million will be used toward finding solutions for the aging infrastructure and operations. Additionally, $16 million is allocated for the city’s fourth clarifier, currently under construction, and another $4 million to start the city’s deep well injection project beginning this month.