Spreading across 4,800 acres in central Pasco County, the Cypress Creek Wellfield has been in operation since 1976 and currently has 13 production wells in service. It is one of 10 wellfields in the region operated under Tampa Bay Water’s Consolidated Water Use Permit. Water withdrawn from the Cypress Creek Wellfield is treated at Tampa Bay Water’s Cypress Creek Water Treatment Plant before delivery to the regional system.
High rates of groundwater withdrawals in the 1980s and 1990s from the Cypress Creek Wellfield adversely affected the wellfield area. In 2007 and 2015, Tampa Bay Water made changes to the surface water drainage patterns on the wellfield property to rehydrate wetlands affected by high rates of groundwater pumping and reduce nuisance flooding in two nearby residential developments. Wetland monitoring has proven these enhancements to be successful.
In 2020, Tampa Bay Water completed its final environmental recovery assessment as part of the Consolidated Water Use Permit renewal, which included additional improvements to further enhance targeted wetlands. This project will add berms and swales to further rehydrate the wellfield property wetlands and prevent water from flowing toward adjacent properties.
This project will increase the stormwater storage capacity at the Cypress Creek Wellfield and rehydrate targeted wetlands by redirecting the flow of surface water on the wellfield property. It will also reduce nuisance stormwater flooding for adjacent residential developments.
The budget for this project is approximately $933,000 for design and construction.
Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026 and continue through mid-2027.
Residents of Quail Run Estates and Homesteads of Saddlewood may hear noise associated with construction during weekdays. Equipment will be delivered to the wellfield via Quail Hollow Boulevard and Queen Sago Place. Parts of the Cypress Creek Preserve Trail will be closed for use throughout construction because equipment will be brought in through the trail.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting prescribed burns at the Cypress Creek Preserve during this time. This activity is unrelated to wellfield surface water improvements. For information on SWFWMD’s prescribed burns, visit: WaterMatters.org/PrescribedBurns.
