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Tampa Bay Water previews FY2027 budget, proposes 2¢ rise in uniform rate to cover operating and capital needs
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Summary
Tampa Bay Water presented a proposed FY2027 budget that would raise the uniform rate to about $2.66 per 1,000 gallons (≈2¢ increase), use $4 million from rate stabilization funds, and advance a $291.4 million FY27 capital program within a $1.697 billion 10‑year plan. The board heard details on demand forecasts, staffing and planned bond issuances and set a public hearing for May 18.
Tampa Bay Water on Tuesday outlined its proposed operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2027, saying the plan would raise the agency’s uniform rate to roughly $2.66 per 1,000 gallons — about a 2¢ increase over the current year — while using $4 million from a rate stabilization fund to dampen the impact on members.
Christina Sageru, the agency’s chief financial officer, told the board the agency projects daily demand at 212,840,000 gallons and total FY27 costs of $223.8 million. After applying debt restructuring savings and the rate stabilization draw, she said the net revenue required from water sales would be about $206.6 million. The FY27 capital improvement program is estimated at $291.4 million and the full 10‑year CIP totals about $1.697 billion, Sageru said.
Why it matters: the plan balances near‑term operating pressures — higher chemical and power costs and personnel expenses — with the agency’s long‑term capital needs, including major projects such as the South Hillsborough Wellfield and treatment work tied to emerging PFAS requirements.
Sageru said variable costs account for about 22% of the budget and fixed costs the remaining 78%. She said staff plans to use $4 million from rate stabilization reserves, which lowered the uniform rate increase by about 5¢ during budget development. The presentation also noted an anticipated bond issuance in August–September of roughly $292 million to fund near‑term projects; a second issuance around 2028 is projected to be about $301 million, subject to future board approvals.
Board members pressed staff on personnel and program detail. Members were told the budget requests four new positions (raising FTEs to 167) with a net personnel cost near $185,000 and that the agency is pursuing a technician trainee/apprenticeship program with an October 1 target if approved. Casey Lalami, the agency’s IT director, said bringing a network engineer in‑house would bolster cybersecurity and bridge corporate and operational (SCADA) networks.
Next steps: staff will hold a public budget hearing May 18 before returning to the board to seek approval of the FY2027 operating budget and the FY2027 CIP estimated expenditures.
