Tampa Bay Water Blog

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...

Every year Tampa Bay Water undergoes an audit of its financial statements by an independent auditor that reviews the utility’s internal controls and compliance with regulations, contracts and grant agreements. Independent auditor Maudlin & Jenkins, LLC, has issued an unmodified opinion — the highest form of assurance they can render — of Tampa Bay Water’s financial statements for the year ended Sept. 30, 2024. The audit, conducted in accordance with the auditing standards generally accepted in the U.S. and Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the U.S. They found no items of non-compliance, no material weaknesses in...

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....

Every year, Tampa Bay Water updates its demand forecast over a 20-year horizon to ensure the next water supply project is developed in time to meet growing demands. This forecast is also used to prepare the agency’s annual budget, to determine allocations from each of our three water source types for the coming year, and to help us manage the future effects on the uniform water rate. For 2026, Tampa Bay Water anticipates delivering an average of 209.7 million gallons of water per day (mgd) to our member governments. This is the same projection we used for our current year’s...

At its February meeting, Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors approved a joint project agreement amendment for the South Hillsborough Pipeline to accommodate changes requested by Hillsborough County. Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved the restated joint project agreement at its Feb. 19 meeting. The County requested: A defined ending point on the Balm property for Segment B A Tampa Bay Water-owned, full-size tee connection along Segment A in Riverview near Boyette and McMullen roads for a future County Point of Connection Reconfigured yard piping in the Lithia Water Treatment Plant Additionally, the amended agreement updates projected cost estimates...

Tampa Bay Water joined forces with Great Explorations Children’s Museum to invite families to a fun and educational event to celebrate World Wetlands Day on February 2. Visitors explored the beauty and importance of wetlands through interactive activities, engaging exhibits and live demonstrations designed to inspire curiosity and environmental stewardship in children. Tampa Bay Water staff conducted an edible aquifer activity, where attendees learned about sustainable use of groundwater and how to avoid polluting this source. Children and parents created their own edible aquifer using ice cream, candies and sodas, while learning about confining layers, contamination, recharge and water tables....

Three Tampa Bay area residents and communities have been recognized for their outstanding commitment to water conservation and sustainable landscaping through the Tampa Bay Community Water Wise Awards Program. This annual program celebrates homeowners and community leaders who incorporate Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles to create beautiful, resilient landscapes that protect natural resources. The 2024 award winners—Nicole Carr, the Tropical Shores Neighborhood Association, and Jan Allyn—were honored in a special ceremony at Sunken Gardens, where they received custom mosaic steppingstones as a token of their achievement. The awards were presented by Tampa Bay Water, Pinellas County Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ and St. Petersburg Water...

Tampa Bay Water Wise is a regional water conservation rebate program aiming to save up to 3.8 million gallons of water per day by 2030 through rebates on water saving fixtures like water-efficient toilets and smart irrigation controllers. The program aims to defer the need to build future water supplies by saving water today. At the end of each fiscal year, staff analyze billing data to measure the actual water savings. Fiscal year 2024 was the most successful year yet for the program, saving 690,000 gallons per day since 2020, with a 300% increase in devices installed over the previous...

Tampa Bay Water’s mandate is to unequivocally provide water to its member governments, and as the population in the area continues to grow, the agency is exploring options to keep pace with water demands. This is especially important in southern Hillsborough County, which is within the Southern Water Use Caution Area, an area where no new water can be permitted or withdrawn without providing a net benefit to the aquifer. At its January meeting, the board approved two agreements to acquire unused permitted groundwater capacity in south Hillsborough County from properties that have changed from agricultural to residential or utility...