Strengthening Tampa’s Wastewater Infrastructure
Tampa’s wastewater infrastructure continues to undergo major upgrades to make the system that services Tampa homes and businesses stronger and more resilient.
Thirty-three of 228 wastewater pumping stations across Tampa have received upgrades or are in the process of being retrofitted. Construction is beginning at a wastewater pumping station in the Forest Hills neighborhood that was built in the 1960s. Old pumps will be replaced and an extra pump will be added, bringing the total to three, to increase capacity and redundancy. Electrical equipment will be relocated above ground, allowing the station to remain operational and fully submersible during extreme weather events, and a permanent generator will go in to provide power during electrical outages.
"We are strengthening Tampa from the ground up for today’s needs and for the challenges of tomorrow," said Mayor Jane Castor. "Aging pipes and extreme weather events that strain our systems, like the hurricanes of 2024, have made our vulnerabilities clear but also reasserted the value of our PIPES Program which has allowed us to make critical investments in our infrastructure."
The $2.2 million upgrade is funded through the City’s PIPES Program which was approved by the Tampa City Council in 2019 and is dedicated to strengthening aging water and wastewater systems.
Since its launch, the Wastewater Department has invested nearly $120 million in pumping station rehabilitation projects.
"The flooding residents in the working-class backbone of Tampa, North Tampa, experienced after Hurricane Milton showed us the importance of making our infrastructure resilient for hurricanes," said Councilman Luis Viera. "Supporting this hard-working community of good people through the stages of recovery has made it evident that people’s livelihoods depend on our systems and we must do all we can to make sure our infrastructure is ready for the next hurricane. It is coming and it will happen and we have to be ready."
Key Improvements Include:
Conversion to a modern submersible pumping station
Flood-proof electrical building elevated 9 feet above ground
Additional pumps for improved redundancy
Enhanced resilience to extreme weather events
The Forest Hills Wastewater Pumping Station rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in 2027.
More information about Tampa’s PIPES Program can be viewed here.