St. Pete-Clearwater Sun

Hillsborough County commissioners have approved a package of 10 stormwater infrastructure projects totaling $95 million, funded through the same federal Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery tied to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The projects are designed to reduce flooding risks and improve the county’s resilience during severe weather, with work targeting localized stormwater systems, aging sewer infrastructure, coastal habitats, and debris-clogged canals that drain into Tampa Bay.

The largest single allocation — $24 million — will go toward repairing and replacing culverts, the underground pipes that channel stormwater beneath roads and through drainage networks. The county maintains roughly 1,400 miles of culverts, many of them aging, and more than 100 will be repaired or replaced under the plan. Josh Bellotti, director of engineering and operations for Hillsborough County Public Works, said routine inspections help identify which pipes are most at risk. He noted that deterioration in older pipes can eventually lead to collapse. The culvert work is expected to take several years.

The remaining $70 million will fund drainage improvements in specific flood-prone areas, including projects along 76th Street in Palm River and Pettie Road in Dover.

The single most expensive project in the package is a $30 million overhaul of Ruskin’s sewer system. The plan calls for converting the existing low-pressure system to a centralized vacuum sewer collection system, constructing a new lift station, and installing pressurized sewer pipes — changes intended to prevent sewer overflows during heavy rain and flooding.

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