Tampa Bay Water is seeking input from Hillsborough County residents on its South Hillsborough Pipeline. The utility is building this new pipeline to meet the increasing water demands of southern Hillsborough County. Residents can visit www.tampabaywater.org/shp to complete a short survey to provide input on the three routes under consideration. The survey opened today, June 14, and closes on Friday, July 8. Residents may also sign up for a telephone town hall meeting for Tuesday, July 12 to provide input.
Southern Hillsborough County is experiencing unprecedented population growth that is driving the demand for additional drinking water. By 2045, the number of homes in the Boyette area is expected to grow by one-third, the number in Wimauma is expected to more than double and the number in the Balm area is expected to nearly triple.
The new pipeline will carry up to 65 million gallons per day of additional drinking water to the southern Hillsborough service area. This new pipeline will be approximately 25 miles long and will range in diameter from 36-72 inches. It will start at the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant in Brandon, connect to Hillsborough County’s Lithia Water Treatment Plant and end at the county’s new connection point at Balm Riverview and Balm roads.
Tampa Bay Water collected input from Hillsborough County residents in 2019 on the most important criteria in selecting pipeline routes. The utility used this input to narrow route options to three.
In August, these routes will be ranked and presented to Tampa Bay Water’s board of directors. Utility staff will request approval to proceed with the design and property acquisition of the top-ranked route.
Schedule:
• Public input on potential routes: Summer 2022.
• Board selection of the top-ranked route: Monday, August 15.
• Final design completion: Mid-2024.
• Property acquisition completion: Late 2024.
• Construction bidding: Late 2024.
• Construction completion: Early 2028.
Tampa Bay Water provides wholesale water to the public utility systems of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties as well as the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. You may opt in to receive notices on this project by sending an email to projectinfo@tampabaywater.org or by calling 813-486-0361.
