KINGSLAND - An illegal petroleum spill shut down the wastewater treatment plant in this coastal town. <br>
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Someone dumped 2,000 gallons of concentrated petroleum down a manhole at the end of the wastewater line located off Interstate 95. <br>
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The chemical killed the microorganisms that normally break down solids, forcing the city to divert wastewater into a 5-acre holding pond, City Manager Dayton Gillette said. <br>
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The treatment plant was cleaned and re-stocked with the microorganisms, but it will take about three weeks for the treatment plant to operate at 100 percent capacity, Gillette said. <br>
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Gillette said he suspects the petroleum product is coming from outside the area, possibly Jacksonville, because there are no manufacturers in the region for the product.
