Hillsborough County approves $95m in disaster recovery funds for stormwater and vacuum sewer resilience

Hillsborough County approves $95m in disaster recovery funds for stormwater and vacuum sewer resilienceThe Florida county will replace a vulnerable low-pressure sewer system in Ruskin with vacuum technology and execute widespread stormwater upgrades to mitigate future hurricane damage.

The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved $95 million for Phase 3 of its CDBG-DR infrastructure program, covering 160 sites.

The county will convert the 30-year-old Ruskin low-pressure sewer system to a centralized vacuum system after storm flooding caused $8 million in recovery costs.

Stormwater investments include culvert renewals across 105 sites, pump station rehabilitation at 14 locations, and multiple wetland restoration projects to attenuate storm surge.

The county is also weighing a stormwater fee increase to cover a $14.8 million annual capital funding gap identified in a newly accepted rate study.

Hillsborough County, Florida, has greenlit $95 million in Phase 3 infrastructure projects funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) award. Approved unanimously on April 15, 2026, the package targets 160 sites to mitigate flooding and harden utility networks against future hurricanes. A significant portion of the resilience effort targets the county's wastewater collection network. Water Resources Director Lisa Ray detailed the planned conversion of a 30-year-old low-pressure sewer system (LPSS) in the Ruskin area to a new vacuum sewer system. During recent storms, flooded individual residential electrical panels and submersible grinder pumps caused widespread failures. "During recovery, that cost us over $8 million to maintain pumping and to restore the services," Ray told the board. The new centralized vacuum system is designed to be flood-resilient, eliminating the reliance on individual residential pumps. The Phase 3 package also features massive stormwater and drainage overhauls. Public Works will execute culvert renewals and pipe replacements across 105 sites, alongside rehabilitation work at 14 permanent stormwater pumping stations. Additional gray infrastructure projects include a channel restoration along Brushy Creek to alleviate chronic flooding and ditch restorations in the Dover and Palm River areas. Nature-based solutions are also receiving heavy investment. The Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department secured funding for natural flood mitigation, including $6 million to restore 93 acres of wetland stream habitat at the Stacy R. White Nature Preserve. The project will increase on-site water storage and reduce downstream flooding in Bullfrog Creek, which experienced record water heights during Hurricane Milton. Another $10 million is earmarked to acquire and restore coastal preservation lands to mitigate storm surge along Tampa Bay. The injection of federal grant money comes as the county grapples with long-term stormwater funding shortfalls. During the same meeting, the board accepted the 2026 Stormwater Rate Study Report prepared by rate consultant Raftelis. Even after factoring in projected CDBG-DR funding, the study identified a $14.8 million annual gap in capital funding and a $1.8 million shortfall for operations and maintenance to achieve a 10% increase in service levels. The board plans to hold public hearings this summer to consider increasing the annual stormwater assessment, which currently sits at $86.49—a rate that staff noted is among the lowest 25% in the state of Florida.