The City of St. Petersburg City Council has approved more than $19 million in funding for infrastructure improvement and resiliency projects. The investments will focus on updating the city’s stormwater system and making upgrades to the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility.
According to city officials, these initiatives are part of Mayor Kenneth T. Welch’s Environment, Infrastructure, and Resilience Pillar for Progress, which aims to increase the city’s ability to withstand climate change impacts and provide reliable public works services during emergencies.
“Climate change impacts are intensifying and my administration is committed to improving the overall resiliency of our public works systems so we can better serve our residents,” said Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. “These projects support improvements to some of our most critical public works systems and facilities that impact residents’ day-to-day lives, the city’s stormwater infrastructure system and the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility. With Environment, Infrastructure, and Resilience as one of our Pillars for Progress, my administration remains dedicated to identifying additional projects and resources to increase our community’s ability to withstand future disasters. I want to thank City Council for recognizing the importance of these investments and for their ongoing support in strengthening our city’s infrastructure.”
The council selected Jacobs Engineering Group for a citywide assessment project focused on restoring stormwater system conveyance. The agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group is valued at $770,504.15. The company will help inspect and rate existing stormwater infrastructure as well as provide project management, data management, and development services.
In addition, a Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal totaling $18,332,538 was approved for constructing a new operations and maintenance building at the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility. A grant from the Resilient Florida Program will cover $8,870,000 of this amount. The facility has been in operation for over 50 years; many buildings there no longer meet operational needs during emergencies or daily activities.
The planned construction includes a three-story building covering 14,000 square feet that will be elevated 22 feet above ground level. This design is intended to protect against storm surge while providing enough space so staff can safely remain onsite during hurricanes if necessary.
Supporting documents related to these projects are available through the November 6 City Council agenda (https://www.stpete.org/government/city_council/meeting_agendas.php). A recording of that meeting can also be accessed online (https://reflect-stpete.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/2210?channel=1).
