Tampa Bay Water Blog

As demand for water increases in southern Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay Water has implemented a multi-pronged approach to meet demand. Later this year, Tampa Bay Water staff plan to request board approval to move forward with the South Hillsborough Wellfield. This is a new water supply project that was shortlisted in the 2018 and 2023 Long-term Master Water Plan updates and has already been deemed feasible through studies that included two aquifer performance tests. The wellfield would be located in the Balm area and could provide 6-12 mgd of new water to the region using acquired water permits that are...

Tampa Bay Water will submit a permit application to the Southwest Florida Water Management District to increase the Alafia River withdrawal to 19% of available flow when the adopted Minimum Flow in the river is met, capped at 75 million gallons of water per day (mgd). The existing permit allows withdrawals of 10% of available flow when the Minimum Flow is met, capped at 60 mgd. If approved, this increased amount could help the agency fill the regional reservoir quicker ahead of the 2026 dry season and in future years. The requested permit modification is consistent with the Minimum Flow...

At the April meeting, Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors approved spending $129.2 million to cover 17 tunneling locations, known as trenchless construction, along the South Hillsborough Pipeline’s 26-mile route. Trenchless crossings are areas where the pipeline will be installed by tunneling under roads and waterways to minimize traffic and environmental impacts. Tunnelling operations will begin as early as October 2025 and take place under Falkenburg Road, State Road 60, Alafia River, Boyette Road, Balm Boyette Road and other locations, shown on the map. Open cut construction, which involves digging a trench into which the pipe is installed, is scheduled...

A unique water supply deserves a unique learning experience! That’s why Tampa Bay Water partnered with Great Explorations Children’s Museum to bring the new “Wonders of Wetlands” exhibit to life. Protecting our drinking water sources starts with understanding it, and this hands-on experience helps visitors of all ages discover where their water comes from – and how to protect it for the future. The exhibit is officially open, but one particularly curious explorer couldn’t wait to join the fun! Morris the Explorasaurus took a special tour of Tampa Bay Water’s facilities to prepare for a video to pair with the...

During last year’s drought, Tampa Bay Water requested an Emergency Order from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to increase withdrawals from the Alafia River to refill our regional reservoir. The order, which expires March 31, 2025, increased the amount that Tampa Bay Water can withdraw above the established Minimum Flow threshold for the river from 10% to 19% and increased the maximum daily withdrawal from 60 million gallons of water per day (mgd) to 75 mgd. Over the past several months, Tampa Bay Water staff have been meeting with environmental organizations, such as the Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s technical...

Florida’s typical dry season is October to May, and for the past 27 years, Tampa Bay Water and its member governments have proclaimed April as Water Conservation Month to generate awareness of the need for water conservation during the driest months of the year. To help celebrate, this year Tampa Bay Water Wise is piloting new sprinkler system rebates that can help single family homeowners save some “green” while keeping their lawns green. “Much of the water used at a home actually ends up in the yard. In fact, often 50% or more of water used at home is used...

In February, Tampa Bay Water wrapped up a series of eight public meetings for the South Hillsborough Pipeline project, which will deliver up to 65 million gallons of water per day (mgd) to southern Hillsborough County when completed in 2028. Seven of the meetings were held in person at venues geographically located along the route. The eighth was a virtual meeting held via Zoom. The purpose of the meetings was to update residents on the pipeline design, highlight the types of construction to be used, and answer questions. Summaries and presentations from those meetings are available at SouthHillsboroughPipeline.com. Tampa Bay...

Cooler weather and nearly normal rainfall have lessened water use during the region’s typical dry season. In February, regional demand was 192.2 million gallons of water per day (mgd), down from the 195.0 mgd that had been projected. From October 2024 to February 2025, annual demand averaged 195.1 mgd, or 14.6 mgd less than the 209.7 mgd Tampa Bay Water anticipated. In February, the 12-month running averages for both the Consolidated Water Use Permit and the South-Central Regional Wellfield were below their limits at 86.83 mgd (90 mgd limit), and 24.78 mgd (24.95 mgd limit), respectively. The Tampa Bay Regional...

Tampa Bay Water’s Capital Improvements Program is a comprehensive 10-year plan and portfolio of previously approved and newly proposed projects. Updated annually, it serves as a roadmap for maintaining and improving our infrastructure to meet the region’s near- and far-term water demands while improving our financial stability. Currently, seven projects are in various stages of construction with a budgeted cost of $44 million. Desalination Facility Intake Connection Improvements, Phase 2 – the second of two projects that provide a new seawater intake for the desalination plant. Completion: May 2025 Eldridge-Wilde Wellfield Improvements – replaces wellhouses, pumps and motors at 24...