Crews will start cutting trees and trimming canopies along the east side of Balm Boyette Road as early as Monday, July 20, clearing the way for construction of the South Hillsborough Pipeline.

The work will run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for about two weeks, according to a project notice published July 14 by the Osprey Observer. Crews will operate north and south of the power line easement, working within the road's right of way and within temporary and permanent construction easements.

Two types of work are planned: A certified arborist will guide canopy trimming to make room for heavy machinery, and separate crews will remove trees and shrubs inside the construction easements.

The tree clearing prepares the corridor for Segment B of the South Hillsborough Pipeline, which runs south along Balm Boyette Road to Hillsborough County's new connection point at the intersection of Balm and Balm Riverview roads. Hillsborough County is funding Segment B at an estimated $84 million, according to Tampa Bay Water project documents, though Tampa Bay Water will own and operate the finished line.

The broader pipeline is a 26-mile, $505.7 million potable water system connecting existing treatment plants to a future Hillsborough County drinking water facility. Garney Construction broke ground in December 2025. Tampa Bay Water expects the pipeline to be placed into service by the end of 2028, with final site restoration and project closeout in the first half of 2029.

"This project will guarantee that we will have about 65 million gallons per day of new water in the region here in the South Hillsborough County area, which is the fastest growing area in the county," Maribel Medina, planning and projects director for Tampa Bay Water, said in a March 2026 television interview with Tampa Bay 28.

The project's construction footprint across South Shore is growing. Crews began 24-hour work at the Buckhorn Creek crossing on South Kings Avenue on Monday, July 13, to accelerate pipe installation before school resumes in early August. Bayberry Glen Drive at FishHawk Boulevard was also closed starting July 13 for about a week of pipe-fusing work.

Residents who want construction updates can visit southhillsboroughpipeline.com, email [email protected], or call 813-485-6480. No public meeting or comment deadline specific to the Balm Boyette Road tree work was listed in the project notice.