Tampa Bay Water is embarking on an effort that will match wellfield equipment with the needs and abilities of its member governments. Called “wellfield rightsizing,” the effort is designed to save money in both capital and operating expenses by better aligning the machine capability of each wellfield with the actual demands and treatment capacities of each member government.
For example, at the Eldridge-Wilde Wellfield, there are 34 wells for a facility that can pump a maximum peak capacity of 35 million gallons per day. However, only 15 wells are required to meet this capacity. Tampa Bay Water plans to upgrade 24 of the 34 wells to ensure reliable and redundant operations, which will save approximately $2.5-3 million in an upcoming renewal and replacement project without jeopardizing reliability.
The Morris Bridge Wellfield has also been tapped for rightsizing. This facility has 20 active wells to produce a peak capacity of 20 million gallons per day. While only nine wells are needed to meet peak capacity, Tampa Bay Water plans to upgrade 15 of the 20 wells for a savings of $250,000-500,000.
At each wellfield, the rightsizing effort includes analyses of historical use, environmental considerations, water quality, maintenance history and proximity to other users. The analysis also includes reliability and projected savings in either operations or capital. Over the next several years, Tampa Bay Water will continue its wellfield rightsizing analyses to ensure reliable water delivery in a cost-effective, efficient manner.
