Veolia North America, the foremost environmental services provider in the U.S., has finalized a deal with Tampa Bay Water (TBW) to oversee the design, construction, and operation of a significant expansion aimed at boosting TBW’s ability to supply high-quality drinking water to over 2.5 million customers along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This initiative represents a new chapter in Veolia’s nearly thirty-year collaboration with TBW, which has played a crucial role in safeguarding the region’s environment and delivering superior water quality to support the area’s growing population and robust economy.
The $181 million expansion at TBW’s Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant in Tampa will enhance its daily production capacity by up to 12.5 million gallons, addressing future regional growth needs. Tampa Bay Water approved Veolia’s proposal under a progressive design-build model, working together throughout the design phase to ensure the final plan aligns with the utility’s financial, technical, and environmental requirements.
The planned upgrades to Tampa Bay Water’s facility will include the installation of a fifth system utilizing Veolia’s ACTIFLO and ozone treatment processes, complementing the four existing systems.
“Veolia is proud of its long-standing role in supporting Tampa Bay Water’s transformative efforts to provide reliable water supplies for a region that previously faced declining water tables and environmental challenges,” stated Karine Rougé, CEO of Municipal Water at Veolia North America. “Our unique blend of technology, expertise, and experience enables communities to develop sustainable water solutions, and our partnership with Tampa Bay Water exemplifies how we collaborate with communities to benefit their residents and the environment.”
Veolia North America, through its predecessor company, built the utility’s current infrastructure and has been supplying drinking water services to the region since Tampa Bay Water’s inception in 1998. In 2023, Tampa Bay Water approved a five-year extension of its operating contract with Veolia, and both parties finalized their agreement to move forward with the expansion project in March.
The planned enhancements to Tampa Bay Water’s facility will feature the addition of a fifth ACTIFLO and ozone treatment system, increased filtration capacity, improvements to the treated water disinfection, storage, and transmission systems, as well as upgrades to the filter backwash and solids handling systems.
Once completed, the expanded system is anticipated to provide a sustainable capacity of 110 million gallons per day, with a maximum rated capacity between 140 million and 150 million gallons per day. This expansion project aligns with Veolia’s global GreenUp strategy, which aims to spearhead the ecological transformation of the planet by advancing water quality improvements, hazardous waste treatment and disposal, decarbonization, and technological innovation.
Source: Veolia
