Ensuring a reliable source of drinking water for the growing communities of Southern Hillsborough County is the goal of a major infrastructure project that residents will have a chance to examine and learn more about.
The South Hillsborough Pipeline is a major project of Tampa Bay Water, which is the region’s supplier of drinking water. It runs from the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant near the intersection of U.S. 301 and E. Columbus Drive through the heart of Brandon and southward, traversing Bloomingdale, Boyette, and FishHawk to a new potable water facility located at the intersection of Balm and Balm Riverview roads.
According to officials, the pipeline will eventually deliver an additional 65 million gallons of potable water daily to Southern Hillsborough County homes and businesses through pipes as large as 6 feet in diameter.
There will be public meetings for residents to comment on the project. All in-person meetings begin at 6:30 p.m., and the online meeting will begin at 6 p.m., on the following dates:
- Tuesday, October 15 and 29, at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 10118 St. Stephen Circle in Riverview.
- Thursday, October 17, at Balm Park & Community Center, 14747 Balm Wimauma Rd. in Wimauma.
- Tuesday, October 22, at Barrington Middle School, 5925 Village Center Dr. in Lithia.
- Thursday, October 24, at Brandon High School, 1101 Victoria St. in Brandon.
- Tuesday, November 12, at Burns Middle School, 615 Brooker Rd. in Brandon.
- Thursday, November 14, at the Bloomingdale Regional Library, 1906 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico.
- Tuesday, November 19, on which there will be a virtual meeting conducted via Zoom. Details for this meeting will be posted to the project website prior to the meeting.
Brandon Moore, public communications manager at Tampa Bay Water, said the water utility is committed to informing the public about the impact such a large and vital project will have on neighborhoods along the route.
“It’s important that residents receive information specific to their neighborhoods and communities, so we’ve parsed the meetings into sections of the pipeline to discuss the most relevant information,” he wrote in an email. “Residents along the pipeline route will receive postcards with their meeting location, date and time a couple weeks before the meetings.”
Residents concerned how the project will affect them can view the pipeline route on an interactive map and learn more by visiting https://southhillsboroughpipeline.com/. Officials anticipate completion of the project in 2028.
