oil spill update: tampa bay seawater desalination plant

Tampa Bay Water operates its Seawater Desalination Plant off the coast of Tampa Bay, which prompts concerns about possible oil-spill effects to our regional water supply system. Tampa Bay Water expects the regional water supply to remain reliable with little to no effect from the spill.

Tampa Bay Water continues to watch and monitor the movement of the oil and stands prepared to take emergency measures, if any are necessary. We subscribe to an early alert weather service that provides us with constant data on the oil spill and its forecasted movement. If the oil slick does travel far enough south and east to enter Tampa Bay, we will shut down the desalination plant completely to avoid the potential of oil getting into the operations. Should the oil spill enter the bay, we will not operate any part of the plant until the oil is cleaned up and no longer poses a risk to water quality and the facility.

It is important to note that we do not receive our raw seawater directly from Tampa Bay, as it first enters Tampa Electric Company’s Big Bend power plant. We have infrastructure in place to isolate the desalination facility from the power plant. We are fortunate to have plentiful surface water, a full reservoir and ample groundwater sources to continue to meet the needs of the region, without having to rely upon desalinated seawater.

Tampa Bay Water will continue to update this page as new information becomes available. Please visit us again or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tampa_bay_water for update notifications.

Pinellas County has more information on the oil spill and how it affects the region at http://www.pinellascounty.org/oilspill2010.htm#pcoilspill.