Staff previews South Hills well field, reclaimed‑water recharge credits and public meeting Aug. 5

Tampa Bay Water staff on July 21 provided a status update on the proposed South Hills well field, a new groundwater supply project intended to supplement regional supplies to South Hillsborough County. Maribel Medina, planning and projects director, described a proposed facility that would include eight production wells and a water‑treatment facility; staff said the field could yield between about 6 million and 12 million gallons per day if approved and permitted. The well sites shown to the board would be colocated with Hillsborough County facilities at the Balm area and adjacent to the proposed pipeline connection point. Financing and permits: Staff estimated capital costs for the well field and associated collection mains and treatment at roughly $126 million to $160 million. The plan relies in part on water‑use permits and on credits tied to Hillsborough County’s reclaimed‑water recharge program. Staff explained that county injection of reclaimed water along the coast can create a net freshwater benefit at inland well locations by limiting saltwater intrusion; Medina told the board that reclaimed injection up to about 10 million gallons per day could support a freshwater yield on the order of six million gallons per day under the transfer scenario the agencies are exploring. Property and agreements: Staff said the county has drafted documents to exchange water development rights on a county parcel (the former Cone Ranch area, now part of a county conservation parcel) and to transfer collection main easements and access; county real‑estate review is underway. Tampa Bay Water staff said they expect to return to the board later this year to request approval of early implementation steps and a joint project agreement in which the county would construct some components. Public outreach: Staff announced a public meeting scheduled for Aug. 5 at the South Shore Regional Library to present the project and take input before returning to the board for further approvals. Board discussion focused on the technical purpose of reclaimed‑water injections—chiefly to reduce saltwater intrusion along the coast—and on negotiating fair crediting and cost‑sharing terms with Hillsborough County. No board vote was taken on the well‑field project at this briefing.