A Close Look at the Filter House

The Tampa Water Works Filter House was built in 1925 on the western bank of the Hillsborough River on the outskirts of Tampa. The site was selected after extensive study initiated in 1922 to develop a new source from which an adequate volume of water could be obtained to meet Tampa’s growing need for fresh, potable water. 

The structure, which forms a central component of Tampa’s current water treatment facility, is a one-story, hollow-tile and stucco Mediterranean-Revival style building organized around a central rotunda. Rectangular galleries extend to the north and south of the rotunda, each housing four of the eight filters. Additional filters and galleries were added in 1948, 1962, and 1973 and are accessible from the interior of the filter house. An extensive upgrade was completed in 2000 to improve processes and the quality of our finished water. 

The filter house, additions and the adjacent two-story building are in excellent condition. The two-story building is in use today as an administrative area.