Population is booming in South-Central Hillsborough County and that means more demand for water.
Tampa Bay Water staff has been working since 2016 on a plan to meet the county’s fast-growing needs. This year, working with Hillsborough County, we increased water delivery to the Central Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant to an average of more than 13 million gallons a day in September and October using existing plumbing. If needed, Tampa Bay Water can furnish up to 19 million gallons per day to this facility.
To meet demands in the near future, Tampa Bay Water will be able to send an additional 5 million gallons of water per day to Hillsborough County’s Lithia plant by constructing a new booster station between Tampa Bay Water’s facilities and the County’s. Tampa Bay Water has completed a hydraulic study, identified a booster station site and is in the process of selecting an engineering partner so this facility will be online by 2024.
To ensure South-Central Hillsborough has the water it needs for 2028 and beyond, Tampa Bay Water is building a new pipeline between 17 and 25 miles long, depending on the route selected.
The pipeline will take six to eight years to design, permit, acquire property and construct. Two connection options are under consideration: one to the existing point of connection in Lithia or a new connection at a location to be determined by Hillsborough County. The decision for the pipeline, including the new point of connection to Hillsborough County, is expected by March 2020.
Beyond 2028, Tampa Bay Water is also evaluating additional groundwater from Hillsborough County’s South Hillsborough Aquifer Recharge Project as part of its Long-term Master Water Plan process. Find out more at tampabaywater.org/future-drinking-water-sources.
