General manager: supplies stable, desal running; Tampa highlights Tippen plant upgrades and in‑house construction savings

In the board’s regular report July 21, General Manager Warren Cardin and staff reviewed current supply metrics, drought and permit status, and hurricane readiness measures. Cardin said through June 30 the agency delivered just over 200 million gallons per day on average—about 1.5 percent lower than the same period last year—and that July projections are on target. He reported reservoir storage well ahead of last year’s low levels, projecting end‑of‑month storage of about 9.5 billion gallons and noting the consolidated well‑field permit limit of 90 million gallons per day with daily pumping around 75.93 million gallons per day. Cardin also said the South Central Hillsborough regional well‑field limit is 24.95 million gallons per day and staff is currently operating at roughly 24.96 million gallons per day; he added the permit is expected to increase to 26.9 million gallons per day in October. On water quality Cardin summarized federal rulemaking activity related to PFAS and said the agency is monitoring EPA developments and associated litigation. He also said Tampa Bay Water is finalizing a water‑quality study with consultant Corona Engineers and will bring recommendations to the board in coming months. Hurricane resiliency and preparedness steps Cardin outlined include updated generator agreements with local electric cooperatives, staging a fuel tanker at a regional site through revised fuel contracts, pursuing memoranda of understanding with Hillsborough and Pasco counties to secure fuel access, expanded tree‑trimming, treating and sealing buildings that experienced water damage last season, and hiring an emergency‑management program manager. Procurement and community outreach: Cardin said the purchasing department received the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Procurement Institute for the first time; staff also highlighted community outreach such as participation in the Girl Scouts’ Water Conservation Academy and other educational activities. City of Tampa presentation: The board received a separate presentation from Rory Jones of the City of Tampa’s water department describing major improvements at the David L. Tippen water treatment facility, including a new high‑service pump station that increased capacity by 140 MGD, a new chlorine contact basin and rehabilitation of clear wells. The city also described in‑house construction efforts that staff said produced about 70 percent savings compared with traditional contracting for certain distribution work and reported savings to date exceeding $1.4 million. Tampa staff outlined additional projects—chemical system improvements, filter upgrades adding 20 MGD of capacity, suspended ion exchange design and planned intake and ozone system work—and noted ongoing challenges from rising construction costs. No board action was required on the report; members praised staff and the city for preparedness and cost‑saving initiatives.