Wastewater / Stormwater Partnership

The Partnership held its inaugural meeting on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, at the University Partnership Center – Digitorium, located at the Seminole Campus of St. Petersburg College. At the meeting, the Partnership shared their ideas for the Partnership’s framework, mission and short-term and long-term goals.

The Wastewater / Stormwater Partnership is a joint initiative of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, Pinellas County municipalities, and other agencies to identify wastewater and stormwater solutions for the County. Formed in October 2016, the Partnership is comprised of state and county officials, 17 municipal leaders, seven local agency leaders, and three private utility systems, as well as staff representatives who serve on a Technical Working Group.

 

In response to common goals established at the first Partnership meeting, the Technical Working Group presented an initial action plan in January. The action plan analyzed the events that led to the overflow situation during Hurricane Hermine and recommended approaches to avoiding future sanitary sewer overflows, including:

 

• Increasing wastewater treatment capacity at appropriate levels
• Increasing wastewater storage capacity at appropriate levels
• Reducing inflow and infiltration of stormwater and groundwater into the separate sanitary sewer system

 

The Technical Working Group’s recommendation merged the three solutions into a cohesive plan of action to reduce the greatest cause of inundation of the system—inflow and infiltration of stormwater and groundwater into the sanitary sewer system—at the same time, incrementally increasing treatment capacity and/or storage capacity where applicable or appropriate. Additionally, the Technical Working Group recommended implementing a countywide public dialogue program to increase education outreach and citizen engagement.

 

Leaders and staff will continue to meet regularly and track progress of the various joint initiatives.

 

Partnership and Working Group Members / Meeting Archives

 

Partnership Goals and Opportunities:

• Avoid and mitigate spills, overflows, and releases of sewage into the environment, particularly water bodies
• Increase capacity and resiliency of collective sewer system and wastewater treatment infrastructure
• Seek opportunities to address drainage and stormwater issues that impact the sewer system

Resources:

• Action Plan Progress Update - May 2018
• 2019 CIP Preview
• Watersheds and Municipal Boundaries Map
• County, City, and Private Sewer Systems Ownership Map