Tampa Bay Water will receive $10 million in state grant money to expand the treatment plant that supplies drinking water to Hillsborough County and its neighbors.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the grant Oct. 28 in Crystal River as part of a $100 million package funding 45 water projects statewide, WUSF reported. The $10 million goes toward expanding Tampa Bay Water's Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant in Brandon.

That expansion will add up to 12.5 million gallons per day of treatment capacity, according to WUSF. The plant serves Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

For South Hillsborough residents, the Brandon plant is a critical piece of the water puzzle. The same facility is the starting point for the $505.7 million South Hillsborough Pipeline, a 26-mile transmission main that will carry up to 65 million gallons per day of drinking water to the county's fast-growing southern service area, according to a project fact sheet. That pipeline connects the Brandon plant to Hillsborough County's Lithia Water Treatment Plant and a new connection point at Balm Riverview and Balm roads.

Both projects target late 2028 for service.

$181 million project, already underway

Tampa Bay Water broke ground on the plant expansion March 2, according to a news release from the agency. The total project cost is estimated at $181 million, funded through revenue bonds and federal and state grants. The $10 million state award is part of that grant funding.

The expansion will optimize the existing facility to produce more drinking water without increasing permitted river withdrawals, Tampa Bay Water said in the release.

Chuck Carden, Tampa Bay Water general manager, said at the March groundbreaking that the plant helped the region reduce its dependence on groundwater. "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," Carden said.

The expansion is expected to meet the region's drinking water demands through 2033. Tampa Bay Water's long-term master plan projects the region will need up to 38 million gallons per day of additional supply by 2043.

Statewide package splits two ways

The governor's office said the $100 million package splits evenly. Half funds 23 springs restoration projects. The other $50 million supports 22 alternative water supply projects that will collectively produce over 60 million gallons of water per day, according to the announcement.

Other alternative water supply grants include $12.6 million to seven Polk County communities for brackish water projects through the Polk Regional Water Cooperative and $19.1 million for six reclaimed water projects across the state.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis A. Lambert said in the announcement that the state would "continue to work cooperatively with local communities to secure the sustainable clean water supply that is critical for Florida's future."

Why it matters locally

Southern Hillsborough County's population growth is driving demand for both drinking water and wastewater capacity. By 2045, the number of homes in the Boyette area is expected to grow by one-third, homes in Wimauma are expected to more than double, and homes in the Balm area are expected to nearly triple, according to a South Hillsborough Pipeline FAQ document.

A full list of funded projects for fiscal year 2026-27 is available at ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov/Grants.