Tampa Bay Water Blog

To thrive as a region, we must act a region. That was the conclusion local governments reached 20 years ago when they formed Tampa Bay Water.

Today marks 20 years of regional cooperation for the drinking water supply in the Tampa Bay region. On June 10, 1998, The West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority became Tampa Bay Water, forming a new alliance between our six member governments, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Thinking as one region, local governments moved past parochialism to create a successful wholesale water utility. With support from the Florida Legislature, the local governments created one regional utility that eliminated the cost differences that divided them and began developing alternative water supplies so groundwater could be reduced.

Today, two decades after its creation, Tampa Bay Water:

• Successfully operates a diverse, reliable and resilient water supply network that it built and continues to grow for a water-secure future.
• Manages a balanced water supply portfolio that has enabled environmental recovery and is environmentally sustainable.
• Provides affordable, high-quality drinking water that meets or beats all state, federal and local drinking water standards.
• Maintains an inclusive, cooperative process with our members and the community for future supply development to sustain our vital economy and environment.

Tampa Bay Water remains a model of regional cooperation because it works. Together with our member governments, we remain committed to meeting the challenges of the next 20 years – ensuring supply keeps pace with demand, managing the effects of climate variation on our water supply, protecting our source water from degradation, and keeping high-quality water affordable for everyone.

As we celebrate our 20^th Anniversary, we want to thank everyone for your continued support as we serve the Tampa Bay region.