{"id":14074,"date":"2025-05-20T08:41:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T12:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/?post_type=news&p=14074"},"modified":"2025-05-20T08:41:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T12:41:53","slug":"wholesale-water-rate-remains-stable-as-regional-utility-addresses-future-water-supply-needs","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.tampabaywater.org\/news\/wholesale-water-rate-remains-stable-as-regional-utility-addresses-future-water-supply-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Wholesale Water Rate Remains Stable as Regional Utility Addresses Future Water Supply Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

News Release<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For Immediate Release<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n

Contact: Brandon Moore
bmoore@tampabaywater.org<\/a>
(727) 791-2304<\/a> | (727) 470-0702<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 20, 2025)<\/strong> \u2013<\/span> Tampa Bay Water\u2019s board of directors approved the utility\u2019s $219.4 million operating budget and $254.5 million Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget for fiscal year 2026. The budgets address the needs of the growing Tampa Bay region, while balancing the board\u2019s three overarching goals: to maintain a reliable water supply system, be good stewards of the environment and maintain cost effective rates.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay region is projected to need an additional 10-12 million gallons per day (mgd) by 2028 and at least 10 mgd by 2033. Earlier this year, Tampa Bay Water issued approximately $420 million of new bonds to fund the utility\u2019s capital projects and system improvements to address growing demands.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnticipating the need to fund new water supply infrastructure,<\/span> we built up our cash reserves to mitigate increases to the wholesale water rate \u2013 keeping it stable and affordable,<\/span>\u201d said Chuck Carden, general manager for Tampa Bay Water.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The wholesale water rate for 2026 is $2.64 per 1,000 gallons, a 0.8% increase from the current year. The utility\u2019s budget includes using $4.5 million from reserves, which reduced the potential rate increase from $0.08 to $0.02 per 1,000 gallons. At less than a penny per gallon, wholesale drinking water remains a value in the Tampa Bay region.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The CIP addresses the utility\u2019s capital needs through 2035. The 2026 CIP includes funding for 39 projects in various stages. Two projects make up nearly 80% of planned expenditures \u2013 the Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant Expansion (29%) and the South Hillsborough Pipeline (50%). The remaining 20% will go towards other system improvements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Projected regional water demand for 2026 is 209.7 mgd. Tampa Bay Water will use the following mix of sources to meet these demands:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n