For Tampa Bay Water and other utilities across the state, planning for hurricane season begins long before the season arrives. From conducting an annual review of the utility’s hurricane plan and pre-storm checklists, to staging generators, hardening critical facilities and training response teams, Tampa Bay Water performs due diligence to avoid service interruptions.
A reliable supply of safe, clean water is essential before, during and after a storm. Even with the extreme challenges of back-to-back storms with hurricanes Helene and Milton, Tampa Bay Water delivered an uninterrupted supply of water to its members and the 2.6 million residents they serve.
“I’m proud that we delivered on our mission during last year’s storms, but we are always looking for ways to improve,” said Chuck Carden, Tampa Bay Water general manager, “and taking time after each hurricane season to review lessons learned and make improvements is crucial to minimizing service interruptions.”
Following storm events, staff review what went well and what improvements could be made in operations, storm preparation, response and recovery. After the 2024 hurricane season, Tampa Bay Water again conducted its annual evaluation, specifically for impacts sustained from Helene and Milton: power loss, facility access, flooding and fuel availability.
Staff found 15 areas of improvement to increase Tampa Bay Water’s resiliency against future storm events. Among the recommendations are
- Reviewing generator ownership and maintenance
- Reviewing critical spare parts inventory to include generator maintenance
- Reviewing communications redundancy and cellular infrastructure
- Exploring moving powerlines underground to reduce power loss from downed trees
- Evaluating facility flood zones and taking flood prevention measures
- Pursuing fuel partnerships with member governments and/or adding fueling stations
- Evaluating wind ratings on the facilities intended as staff shelters, and
- Reviewing and updating the disaster recovery and operations continuity plans for critical facilities and wellfields
A task force will review and prioritize recommendations and begin implementing high-priority items ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.