Work Begins On Largest Water, Stormwater Pipe Project In Tampa History

TAMPA, FL — The city of Tampa is embarking on the largest infrastructure project in the city's history, starting with the Forest Hills neighborhood on Armenia Avenue to the west and Hillsborough Avenue to the east near Lake Magdalene.

But, rather than digging up miles of road to replace pipes, Brad Baird, deputy administrator for infrastructure in Tampa, said the city is taking a new, less intrusive approach.

"This here today in Forest Hills is a pipe-bursting project," said Baird at a news conference announcing the project. "So instead of having to trench open the entire roadway to replace a pipeline, you could dig a couple of trenches on either end and burst the existing water main pipe and pull a new pipe for a replacement."

"It's a lot less intrusive for the neighbors and a lot easier for final restoration," said Brad Williamson, project manager for the contractor Kiewitt Corp.

"It will increase the water pressure for the neighborhood of Forest Hills and other neighborhoods around the city that we have these projects in," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. "And we'll also, as I stated, get the stormwater out of the neighborhood much quicker."

The $92 million project consists of more than 100,000 feet of new water main, or 19 miles of new water main in four neighborhoods — Forest Hills, Macfarland Park, Virginia Park and East Tampa.

The project is part of Tampa's Neighborhoods Design Build Project, which is bringing long-awaited infrastructure improvements to the four neighborhoods filled with old, rapidly deteriorating pipelines.

Nearly ever weekday, the city announces road closures so public works crews can repair burst or damaged pipelines in the city.

The water line upgrades will improve water pressure, fire protection and reduce water main breaks in the community. Improvements to the stormwater infrastructure are expected to reduce (standing water) ponding in the area.

Most construction is expected to take place between 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Crews will rely on the pipe-bursting technique to reduce impacts to residents and the surrounding neighborhoods.

The work in Forest Hills is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Construction on the other neighborhoods in Tampa’s Neighborhood Design Build Project is set to wrap up in the summer of 2026.

“Tampa residents rely on our infrastructure every day. The reality is our water and stormwater pipelines may be 80, 90 or more than 100 years old,” Castor said. “The work we are doing in Forest Hills today is only one way the city is working to improve the quality of life across our community.”

The $92 million project is being funded through the Progressive Infrastructure Planning to Ensure Sustainability (PIPES) program.

The $2.9 billion PIPES plan is the largest public works project in the city’s history, transforming the 100-year-old water and wastewater infrastructure that serves close to 720,000 residents and businesses.

PIPES was passed by the Tampa City Council in September 2019 after nearly 10 years without a utility rate increase in the city. The funding plan allows the city to adopt a proactive approach to renew its infrastructure, prevent breakdowns and provide long-term, permanent fixes to its vulnerable water and wastewater systems.

PIPES includes a schedule of gradual rate increases for water and wastewater services over a 20-year period.

These increases will eventually align water and wastewater rates with the funding needed to catch up and continuously renew and replace infrastructure as it reaches the end of its useful life.

In addition to gradually raising usage (consumption) rates, PIPES also includes a monthly base charge for water and wastewater services.Tampa is one of the last cities in Florida to implement a base charge.

To help vulnerable households adapt to the rate increase, the city has expanded its customer assistance program. Qualifying residential utility customers can apply for the Customer Assistance Program. If approved, all water and wastewater base charges will be waived.