TAMPA, FL — The city of Tampa Wastewater Department has invested in 64 portable generators, a critical step in strengthening and improving the city's infrastructure and response time during hurricane season.

The recently renovated Louisiana Pump Station now has one of these huge on-site generators, so all seven regional pumping stations now have on-site generators.

Eric Weiss, director of the Tampa Wastewater Department, said these portable generators ensure the city has a reliable and alternate means to provide power and keep wastewater systems operational if an emergency arises.

"Pumping stations rely on electricity to operate," Weiss said. "In 2017, during Hurricane Irma, we had pumping stations without power for one week. It presented huge challenges to our teams who had to haul portable generators to those stations."

Additionally, the city now has five generators rated at two megawatts each located at the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. These generators will provide backup power for the treatment plant. And the city has 75,000 gallons of on-site fuel in storage, enough fuel to last five days in case of a power outage at the treatment plant during heavy rain events or longer power outages.

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