Example video title will go here for this video

TAMPA, Fla. — During hurricane season, there's always a risk of losing power, which means there's always a chance our city's water systems can get shut down, too.

This is why The City of Tampa Wastewater Department has invested in 64 portable generators. 

In a release, the city called the move "a critical step in strengthening and improving the City’s infrastructure and response time during hurricane season."

These new "hug on-site generators" will ensure our wastewater pumps stay flowing in the event of an emergency.

"Pumping stations rely on electricity to operate,” Eric Weiss, director of the wastewater department, said in a statement. “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.”  

Five of these generators, rated at two megawatts each, will head to the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant to provide backup power. They'll be stored along with 75,000 gallons of fuel, enough to last five days, in case of a power outage at the treatment plant during heavy rain events, or longer power outages.  

This boost in public infrastructure is part of Mayor Jane Castor’s Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow initiative.  This initiative has shaped the mayor's five main strategic goals:

The generator project isn't the first step the city has taken to support our water systems. In April, Castor announced the Foundations for Tampa’s Neighborhoods project, which will include improvements to main water lines, wastewater and stormwater solutions, and transportation within four Tampa neighborhoods. 

Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings.