Tampa Bay Water is Florida's largest purveyor of wholesale water, providing waterto six Member Governments, who in turn serve the approximately two millionresidents of the Tampa Bay region. Tampa Bay Water is a new organization born outof a two-year negotiation process that changed the name, structure and operationsof the West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority. Tampa Bay Water is a regionalagency created by an interlocal agreement among six Member Governments throughstate enabling legislation. The Member Governments are comprised ofrepresentatives from three counties, Pinellas, Pasco, and Hillsborough, and threecities, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and New Port Richey, that make up the Tampa BayWater Board. Due to a legislative requirement to reduce the existing use ofgroundwater by approximately 40%, combined with the rapid growth and economicdevelopment of the Tampa Bay area, a need for additional water supply hasresulted. In order to meet this need, Tampa Bay Water conducted a comprehensiveanalysis of current and future demands, supply sources, and facility capacities.This analysis identified several supply projects that must be completed by 2007using a wide range of sources and treatment technologies. To meet the reductionsin groundwater pumping, Tampa Bay Water must have permitted, constructed, andoperational at least 38 million gallons per day (mgd) of new supply by December31, 2002. An additional 47 mgd, for a total of at least 85 mgd of new supply,must be on-line by December 31, 2007. The Tampa Bay region is also experiencingsignificant growth resulting in an additional 26 mgd required to meet demandsthrough this period. To meet this combination of demands, potential sources thatwere evaluated included alternative groundwater, fresh surface water, seawater,and brackish water.
