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Residents keep up struggle for water

Palm River is caught in a no-man's land between Hillsborough and Tampa governments and neither seem ready to help.

By S.I. ROSENBAUM
Published September 2, 2005

PROGRESS VILLAGE - The people of Palm River want water. And they want it now.

"Turn on the water in Palm River," Liz Gutierrez told the County Commission at last week's community meeting at Progress Village Middle School.

"I would sing it for you, but I'm not a singer," she added, as hundreds of residents waved signs reading, "TURN ON THE WATER."

For years, residents have been pushing for water and sewer lines in the area, where there are only wells and septic tanks.

With a Florida Department of Transportation project about to dig up the very stretch of road where the water lines are needed, residents want the commission to act now.

But a decades-old agreement has trapped residents in a no-man's land between the Hillsborough and Tampa governments - neither of which has committed to help.

Since Palm River residents live outside the city limits, they would normally turn to the County Commission - and not Tampa City Hall - for government help. But a 1967 agreement between the two governments made Tampa responsible for Palm River's water and sewage.

Tampa officials have said they have more pressing projects lined up for their own residents.

Palm River residents also don't have a formal voice in city government because they can't vote for mayor or City Council.

The County Commission, meanwhile, says it can't use its own money to build water and sewer lines in Palm River because the city would end up benefitting from new fees.

"Legally, we cannot force the issue," County Commissioner Jim Norman said.

Residents told the commission they need to move quickly - or the cost of adding water lines will go up.

"Businesses are stagnating. Residents have terrible water service," resident Patricia Shafer said.

Without a water line, "not only are we stinting the development of Palm River, we're not being cost effective," Shafer said. "Because in a few years, this is going to happen, and they're going to have to tear up that beautiful new road."

Commissioner Tom Scott, who represents the area, told residents to take their complaints to Tallahassee.

"It's a complicated legal issue," Scott said. "But we need to put pressure on the state to come to the table and put pressure on the city to work with the county and make this happen."

S.I. Rosenbaum can be reached at srosenbaum@sptimes.com or at 661-2442.

[Last modified September 2, 2005, 02:15:35]