Tampa Bay Water outlines state and federal funding push, seeks WRDA authorization

Brent Bartlett, Tampa Bay Water’s government affairs program manager, told the board the agency is actively tracking state and federal bills and working with consultants to press funding priorities for 2026.

Pete Dunbar of Jones Walker said multiple water-related bills are now in the legislative system, including six measures addressing municipal systems and out-of-boundary customers. Matthew Blair of Corcoran Partners outlined the appropriations calendar for Florida’s nine-week session and confirmed the agency’s two appropriation requests: a $2 million request for a surface-water resilience and expansion initiative and a $1 million request to modernize SCADA at a surface-water treatment plant.

On federal strategy, Marybeth Nassif of Jones Walker described near-term opportunities for Tampa Bay Water under the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA). "We prepared and submitted proposed bill language requesting authorization of up to a $100,000,000 under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers," she said, adding that authorization would not be funding itself but would improve Tampa Bay Water’s chance of receiving future appropriations subject to congressional appropriations and cost-share rules. Nassif also described two potential congressional earmark requests—one for surface-water treatment plant expansion and one for the South Hillsborough initiative—typically under $5 million per project.

Board members asked no substantive questions during the briefing and thanked the team for its advocacy efforts. Staff said they will continue outreach to subcommittee chairs, sponsors and member offices and report back as appropriations work progresses.