Tampa Bay Water, Veolia Break Ground On Surface Water Treatment Plant Expansion

$181M Investment Strengthens Reliable, Sustainable Regional Drinking Water Supply

Tampa Bay Water broke ground on the expansion of its Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant, a major regional infrastructure project that will increase drinking water supply and strengthen long-term reliability of the region’s drinking water.

The $181M expansion will increase the plant’s treatment capacity by up to 12.5 million gallons per day (mgd), meeting the drinking water needs of a growing population across the counties and cities served by Tampa Bay Water — Hillsborough County, Pasco County and Pinellas County, and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa. The expansion will be online in 2028 and meets the region’s drinking water demands through 2033.

The project is being delivered through a public-private partnership with Veolia Water North America and CDM Smith. The cost of the expansion is being funded with existing or issued revenue bonds and federal and state grants.

“We continually plan for the future so residents can turn on their taps with confidence,” said Chuck Carden, Tampa Bay Water general manager. “You can always count on a reliable supply of drinking water.”

Tampa Bay Water’s Enhanced Surface Water System is the cornerstone of its diverse supply system. It’s been a major contributor to reducing dependence on groundwater, which allowed once damaged regional lakes and wetlands to fully recover.

“The plant played a major role in the unprecedented environmental recovery of lakes and wetlands in our area,” said Carden. “When we reduced groundwater pumping, we replaced much of that supply with river water from this plant, while still meeting the drinking water needs of a growing region.”

The expansion will optimize the existing facility to produce additional drinking water without increasing permitted river withdrawals, maximizing the use of rainfall when it is available.

“We’re expanding key treatment processes at the plant to increase capacity while building on what already works,” said Mike Kuhn, Veolia Director of Capital Management. “Site preparation is underway, and this next phase will bring those plans to life.”

Key expansion improvements include: 

• New piping and valves connecting onsite storage to plant influent 
• Expansion of the ACTIFLO clarification process that removes color and particles 
• Additional ozone treatment capacity (primary disinfection) 
• Additional biologically active filtration to remove organics 
• Expanded secondary disinfection systems 
• Expanded residuals processing 

Construction is expected to continue through 2028. The expansion is part of Tampa Bay Water’s Long-term Master Water Plan, which guides regional drinking water investments over the next 20 years. The Tampa Bay region is projected to need up to 38 mgd of additional supply by 2043. Tampa Bay Water continues evaluating future supply options to ensure a reliable supply of clean, safe drinking water to the Tampa Bay region’s growing population.

The Tampa Bay Water project represents the latest initiative for Veolia in the Florida market. In partnership with the City of Palmetto, Veolia operates an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) system that reclaims wastewater to prevent discharge into the Terra Ceia Bay. Instead of discharging, treated water is injected into an underground aquifer during wet periods and recovered for use during dry periods. This system, which is part of a broader reclaimed water program, allows residents to use the treated water for lawn sprinkling and irrigation, providing essential wastewater treatment services to tens of thousands of people along Florida's Gulf Coast.