The City of St. Petersburg has announced new investments in infrastructure and resiliency projects aimed at strengthening its public works systems in response to the growing impacts of climate change.
“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 City Council has approved a resolution selecting Jacobs Engineering Group for the Citywide Stormwater System Conveyance Restoration (SSCR) Assessment Project with a contract value of $770,504.15. The project aims to address needed upgrades in St. Petersburg’s stormwater infrastructure by using Jacobs Engineering Group for inspection, rating, project management, data management, and development services.
Additionally, City Council approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal totaling $18,332,538 for construction at the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility Operations / Maintenance Building Project. This initiative is partly funded by an $8,870,000 grant from the Resilient Florida Program. The facility has been operational for over five decades and several buildings no longer meet operational needs during emergencies or daily activities. Plans include building a new 14,000-square-foot operations and maintenance structure elevated 22 feet above ground level. The design combines operations and maintenance functions into one resilient facility capable of withstanding storm surges and providing shelter for staff during hurricanes.
A recording of the November 6 City Council meeting where these measures were discussed is available at https://www.stpete.org/government/meetings___agendas/recorded_city_meetings.php
