Millions of gallons of partially-treated sewage spill into Lake Monroe

More than 5 million gallons of partially-treated sewage — enough to nearly fill 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools — flowed into Mills Creek and Lake Monroe on Saturday after a malfunction at a Sanford wastewater treatment plant, according to a city report filed with the state.

Sanford officials posted signs on the RiverWalk pedestrian trail that runs along the southern shoreline of Lake Monroe warning the public to stay out of the water and not to fish because of potentially high bacteria levels.

“Exposure to water may cause illness,” read the signs that were in place Monday as joggers and bicyclists passed by. It’s not clear how long the ban will remain in place.

The overflow was caused after high amounts of wastewater coming into the plant on West Seminole Boulevard overloaded the filters that remove solid matter, according to the report sent Sunday to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.