Hurricane Milton floods Leesburg wastewater plant, spills gallons into Lake Griffin canal
Hurricane Milton’s heavy rains led to a significant breach at a Leesburg wastewater treatment plant, forcing nearly two million gallons of wastewater into a nearby canal that flows into Lake Griffin.
City officials reported that the plant, overwhelmed by the storm, has since stabilized.
Leesburg City Manager Al Minner explained that the sheer volume of rainwater tripled the plant's capacity, leading to the spill.
"The plant was inundated with water, and wastewater literally came out of the headwall," Minner said.
Despite the breach, he noted that the wastewater was diluted by Lake Griffin's billions of gallons of water, mitigating the potential impact.
Residents like Nicki Wild and Walter Haddix, who live near the plant, witnessed the storm's intensity.
"It rained so hard," Haddix said, adding that he wasn’t surprised by the flooding.