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Reliable by Design: Inside the Transformation of the City of Tampa’s Water Treatment Facility
City of Tampa and Jacobs deliver critical upgrades to century-old facility while maintaining continuous service
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Tampa’s growing population and aging infrastructure were putting pressure on the city’s only drinking water facility — the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility. With more than 730,000 residents relying on a system built nearly a century ago, modernization was critical. Limited operational flexibility, environmental risks and rising demand called for a bold solution: one that could deliver reliability, resilience and innovation without disrupting service.
To meet these challenges, the City of Tampa engaged Jacobs to lead a progressive design-build modernization of the facility’s disinfection, storage and high service pumping systems. With reliability, sustainability and long-term performance at the core, the $98 million upgrade introduced major infrastructure improvements, including:
- New 140 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) high service pump station featuring an innovative open-top pump can design, enabling full use of the city’s existing clearwells for the first time
- New center clearwell enhances storage and allows flow to be split between clearwells, enabling individual units to be taken offline for maintenance
- New chlorine contact basin eliminates over nine feet of hydraulic restriction with redundant channels and jet mixing for optimized chemical distribution
- Rehabilitated clearwells improve residence time and now resist groundwater uplift while empty — a first for the facility
- Enhanced maintainability, accessibility, reliability and redundancy through targeted upgrades across the system
These upgrades improved water quality and system resilience, eliminated hydraulic bottlenecks and boosted operational efficiency — all while keeping the plant fully operational.
“This project is a testament to what’s possible when collaboration and transparency drive every decision. By working side-by-side with the City of Tampa, we delivered critical upgrades without interrupting service to over 730,000 residents. It’s more than infrastructure — it’s about building resilience and reliability for the community we serve.”
Engineering breakthroughs raise the bar
The project delivered several firsts for the Southeast region of the U.S., including a zero-discharge stormwater system that retains all runoff onsite, protecting the Hillsborough River Reservoir and surrounding environment.
Jacobs used advanced digital tools such as 3D visualization, computational fluid dynamics and digital twins as well as a full physical model to optimize design, validate performance and support engagement with stakeholders.
By self-performing critical components that dictated the overall performance of the facility and the project, and integrating design, construction and commissioning under one roof, Jacobs provided seamless and efficient delivery. The team also implemented a robust safety program, achieving a TRIR (total recordable incident rate) well below industry standards.
“Jacobs quickly earned our trust by consistently delivering solutions in our best interests, even when it was more challenging for them.”
Collaboration in action
From day one, the project was grounded in transparency which built trust and paved the way for collaborative teamwork. Jacobs and the city used digital platforms during frequent focused meetings and design milestone workshops to streamline communication and help the city make informed decisions. This collaborative approach allowed the team to adapt quickly, solve complex challenges and keep the plant running 24/7 throughout construction.
Community engagement and maximizing opportunities for minority-owned businesses were a key focuses for the City of Tampa. Jacobs hosted STEAM outreach events for local students, participated in river cleanups and awarded over $8 million in contracts to local minority-owned business firms.
Resilient. Sustainable. Built to last
The David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility upgrades show how integrated delivery models — like progressive design-build — can reduce risk, drive innovation and deliver lasting community value. By aligning technical excellence with environmental responsibility and public service, the project sets a new benchmark for water infrastructure in Florida and beyond.
“Jacobs’ commitment to transparency and open communication during the GMP process ensured there were no unexpected surprises, making this project a true success.”
