groundwater cutbacks

Tampa Bay Water was formed in 1998 with a contractual commitment to develop new water supplies and reduce production at the 11 long-producing wellfields in the northern Tampa Bay region.

With the creation of Tampa Bay Water, the face value of the 11 wellfield permits was immediately reduced from 192 mgd to 158 mgd average.  The new regional utility was also required to reduce groundwater pumping at the 11 wellfields from 158 mgd to 121 mgd annual average by Dec. 31, 2002 and to 90 mgd annual average by Dec. 31, 2008.

Reducing pumping has resulted in water level and environmental recovery and ensures that water supplies from these sources will remain a sustainable, important part of Tampa Bay Water’s diverse system.

The lost groundwater supply was replaced with alternative water sources developed in the first configuration of the Master Water Plan.