SARASOTA, Fla. — Eight million gallons — that might sound like a lot, but Sarasota County Public Utilities Director Brooke Bailey said that's the amount of wastewater the Bee Ridge Water Reclamation Facility treats on a normal day.

But she said what the treatment facility saw in the aftermath of Debby was anything but normal.

"During the event, we saw 25 million gallons a day," Bailey said. "So, if you can imagine, that's twice to three times (normal). We did a really great job. We treated 25 million gallons a day."

Bailey said nine of the county's nearly 800 lift stations malfunctioned as a result of Debby. She told reporters Friday afternoon that contributed to nearly a million gallons of spillage of raw sewage and treated reclaimed water.

"The majority of the spills were mostly contained, if they could be," she said. "Now, if they were spilling during the event, they were not contained because it was a flooding event."

She said in cases where spills weren't contained, crews are collecting samples in the area and are following spill protocol. 

Jeff Schermerhorn, who lives in the nearby Laurel Meadows neighborhood, told Spectrum News crews earlier this week that residents have video of water flowing from the plant's reservoir across the road.

"It was a constant river flowing directly into our neighborhood right here," he said.

A county spokesperson said public utilities staff walked that area and found the water in Laurel Meadows was stormwater, not wastewater.

"Our pond's low," said Bailey. "If it would've spilled, it would've come from here, especially if it would've been a big event, is what they're talking about. Again, if you would look at where it would go out, it's completely high and dry."