Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Swiftmud skittish on money for desal plant

The board delays a decision on aid for the beleaguered plant until next month.

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2005

State water officials balked Tuesday at a proposed settlement of their dispute with Tampa Bay Water over the utility's desalination plant. They voted to table the matter until next month.

The Apollo Beach plant was designed to produce 25-million gallons of water a day.

When utility officials said recently that they would not run the plant at full capacity, the Southwest Florida Water Management District complained. The board, commonly known as Swiftmud, discussed not providing a promised $85-million to help pay for the $140-million plant.

Chairmen of the two boards last week worked out a proposed deal under which the state would give the utility a portion of the money each time the plant passes a production milestone.

Tampa Bay Water would get all of it after running the plant at top capacity for four months. The plant, which was to open in 2003, is being repaired and is scheduled to open next fall.

Although Tampa Bay Water's board ratified the deal Monday, the Swiftmud board still had qualms about it and postponed making a decision until its next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 24.

[Last modified December 21, 2005, 00:51:17]