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19Oct
Charles H. "Chuck" Carden is Tampa Bay Water’s New General Manager
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NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brandon Moore
bmoore@tampabaywater.org
727-796-2355

CLEARWATER, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2021) – Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors ended its search for a new leader Monday after voting 7-0 to approve an employment agreement with Mr. Charles H. "Chuck" Carden, making him the utility’s fourth general manager since it was created in 1998.

Mr. Carden has served as the utility’s interim general manager since December 2020. Prior to this role, Mr. Carden was the utility’s chief operating officer. During his tenure with Tampa Bay Water, the utility constructed and operated more than $1 billion in infrastructure and pipelines, including the region’s first alternative water supplies – a 120 million gallon per day surface water treatment plant, a 25 million gallon per day seawater desalination plant and a regional reservoir that holds 15.5 billion gallons. Mr. Carden has been employed at Tampa Bay Water since 1993 and worked in finance, project management, construction and water production.

Mr. Carden holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Tampa. He served on the Executive Committee of the Florida Section/American Water Works Association as the Past-Chair, was the inaugural Chairman of the Florida 2030 initiative for the section and is a member of Leadership Tampa Bay Class of 2002.

“I’m very proud today to be your new general manager,” said Carden. “I’m humbly appreciative of this opportunity and will work hard to move us forward.”

Mr. Carden has several important initiatives ahead of him including:

  • Updating the utility’s strategic business plan and creating a performance measurement system.
  • Completing feasibility studies of three potential water supply projects to meet the region’s increasing demands: Surface Water Expansion, Seawater Desalination Expansion, and South Hillsborough Wellfield.
  • Implementing a major short- and long-term infrastructure program to bring regional water to the fast-growing south Hillsborough County area.
  • Developing a methodology for valuing reclaimed water and/or credits used as a potable water source.
  • Completing a regional water quality study to enhance quality in the regional water supply system.
  • Managing a 10-year increase in capital projects while ensuring affordable wholesale drinking water rates for the utility’s member governments.
  • Hiring several key executive-level positions.

“He understands the past and the importance of what that means for today; he has a vested interest and an emotional tie to this organization,” said Pinellas County Commissioner and Tampa Bay Water Board Chairman, Dave Eggers. “He knows the challenges that are ahead of us and that we’re going to have to do things a little differently if we’re going to continue to be an elite organization.”

Tampa Bay Water’s board interviewed the top five candidates on Aug. 31, 2021, before voting to enter contract negotiations with Mr. Carden on Sept. 20, 2021. The utility’s chairman and general counsel completed contract negotiations with Mr. Carden, setting the stage for Monday’s vote.

About Tampa Bay Water

Tampa Bay Water is the largest wholesale water supplier in Florida, providing high-quality drinking water to its members, who in turn, supply water to more than 2.5 million residents of the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Water member governments include Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. To learn more, visit tampabaywater.org.