Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday said $100 million is being distributed to 45 water projects during an appearance in Crystal River.
Half the money comes through the Springs Restoration Grant Program, while the other $50 million goes to 22 projects intended to expand alternative water supplies.
The work involving alternative water projects includes $10 million for Tampa Bay Water to expand its surface water treatment capacity.
The organization broke ground on the expansion of its Tampa Bay Regional Surface Water Treatment Plant in March. According to a news release, the regional infrastructure project will "increase drinking water supply and strengthen long-term reliability of the region’s drinking water."
The grant money will help expand the plant’s treatment capacity by up to 12.5 million gallons per day, meeting the drinking water needs of a growing population across the counties and cities served by Tampa Bay Water — Hillsborough County, Pasco County and Pinellas County, and the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa.
The expansion will be online in 2028 and is expected to meet the region’s drinking water demands through 2033.
Another $12.6 million went to seven communities in Polk County to diversify and expand their available water supplies to include brackish water in coordination with the Polk Regional Water Cooperative, plus $19.1 million for six reclaimed water projects that include the reuse expansion at Fort Myers’ Central Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility and transmission expansion in Apopka.
Among the projects to protect natural springs are $3 million for Citrus County’s septic to sewer program, $3 million for the Suwannee River Water Management District to acquire land around the Suwannee River Basin, and $3 million for DeLand’s regional pumpstation and sewer extension project.
