City staff outlines water, wastewater and reclaimed-water projects and capacity figures

Public works staff provided a technical update to the council on the city's potable water, sanitary sewer and reclaimed water systems and summarized current and planned capital improvements.

Colin (public works) said the city's drinking water originates at the Starkey Well and that the utility produces "about approximately 5,600,000 gallons per day." He told the council the system includes roughly 154 miles of potable water mains and about 18,000 active service connections and that the Newport Corners development will add about 331 new connections. On wastewater, staff described an average flow of about 5,500,000 gallons per day, a permitted capacity figure cited in the presentation of 7.5 (million gallons per day), and noted that the treatment plant has handled flows up to "15,000,000 gallons in a single day" during heavy rainfall events.

Staff also reviewed planned and ongoing capital projects: the West Grand neighborhood project, potable and reclaimed water extensions, a smart meter replacement program (advancing to larger meter sizes next year), a Pasco County interconnect upgrade already completed, and a planned elevated storage tank project that will replace high-service pumps. For the wastewater treatment plant, staff highlighted a Schreiber tank conversion to simplify the aeration/clarifier process (targeting roughly 1.5 MGD capacity at that unit), ongoing clarifier gearbox replacements and aeration-tank sealing and coating work that staff said will be phased over the next five years to extend equipment life.

Council members asked about sequencing for the Town and Country/Leisure Lane sewer extension and options for interim septic handling; staff said developers can use private pumping stations or connect to nearby force mains when feasible. The presentation closed with staff offering to follow up on specific questions such as project schedules and the age of certain structures.