Morris Bridge Sink

Location

The Morris Bridge Sink is located in an unincorporated area of Hillsborough County, east of Tampa and south of Morris Bridge Road.

SWFWMD owns the property. At present, Tampa Bay Water is discussing the use of this property for the new pumping facility and for parts of the pipeline. Overall, the project would be designed to blend with surroundings to the extent possible.

Pumping station

The project involves the installation of permanent emergency pumping facility at the sink. The facility would include electric pumps that would be enclosed in a small building to eliminate noise. The intake for the pumps would be at least 40 feet below the typical water surface in the sink.

Underground pipeline

Connected to the pumping facility would be an underground pipeline to carry the emergency water to the Tampa Bypass Canal for use by Tampa Bay Water’s regional facilities or by the city of Tampa. The pipeline diameter would be 24 inches.

Public input has been sought on three pipeline route alternatives. The input received is described in additional detail in the section below. The route selected will be located to minimize the impacts on neighborhood activities, traffic and other existing structures, such as water mains, sewer mains, storm sewers, etc.

Alternative Pipeline Routes

Three alternative pipeline routes are being considered. The pipeline routing would be selected based on technical and scientific criteria, property availability and public input.  Select and click an alternative on the project area map (above) to review verbal description of proposed pipeline route.

Public Input on Pipeline Routes

During the summer of 2002, a survey was sent to the 109 property owners and residents within a 300-foot radius of the center line along the proposed pipeline routes. Ten stakeholders returned completed surveys, representing a response rate of about 9 percent. (Direct mail professionals consider a response rate of 3 percent normal.) The residents were asked to specify their top pipeline routing criteria and to provide written comment on the routing.

The top eight routing criteria named by respondents were:

• Right-of-way/easement availability
• Environmental preservation (trees, plants)
• Impacts to sensitive, non-wetland areas (habitat, endangered species)
• Traffic impacts during construction
• Minimize Acquisition of private property
• Co-location with existing infrastructure
• Cost of project/effect of cost on water rates
• Effects on wetlands

This input will play an important role in the selection of a preferred pipeline route alternative.