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South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility Denitrification Improvement Project

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Project ID

003408A

Project Location

South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility, 7401 54th Avenue N., St. Petersburg, FL 33709

Project Status

Construction: In progress

Project Update

Pinellas County Utilities customers who receive reclaimed water from the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility will experience a temporary service interruption beginning Wednesday, Feb. 11, through Friday, Feb. 20. This interruption is necessary while we complete an important rehabilitation project on the facility’s filtration system. Customers will be impacted in the southern barrier islands, Belleair, Seminole and Pinellas Park. Those located near the South Cross Bayou facility may notice increased noise levels for the first 24 hours of this outage.

Overview

This project will rehabilitate the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility’s filtration system by replacing large valves, media, pumps, flowmeters and underdrain piping that feeds the system to better conduct the denitrification process, which removes nitrogen and releases clean water back to nature. While wastewater contains nitrogen, often from food waste, large amounts of nitrogen entering our local bodies of water (rivers, creeks, lakes, etc.) can cause algae bloom and kill fish/wildlife.

Goals

  • Ensure treated water meets regulatory nitrogen limits set by Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
  • Reduce nitrogen pollution in our community preventing algae blooms and protecting fish and wildlife.
  • Protect tourism and fishing industries by maintaining the ecosystem.
  • Upgrade aging infrastructure to prevent system failures that could lead to emergency spills around our service area.

Timeline

Construction has been in progress since August 2023 and is scheduled to conclude in October 2026.

Funding Sources