Public Works Delivers 20-Year Master Water Plan Update

BRADENTON -- Its been 10 years since Manatee County last received it's 20-year Water Distribution System Master Plan update, providing a guide and resource for future distribution system improvement planning. At Tuesday's meeting, the BOCC got its 2013 report.

The report uses a lot of history to model the future of population growth, infrastructure and potable water needed to maintain adequate distribution to the citizens of Manatee County. 

Typically, utility master plans are updated every five years, but unpredictable economic fluctuation has made making predictions increasingly difficult. 

Michael Jankowski, P.E. Senior Engineer, Public Works Department, presented the report to Commissioners at Tuesday's meeting. The presentation covered projected system improvements through the year 2030.

In order to determine the potential need for future system improvements, model runs were performed under various scenarios to identify existing and projected deficiencies. For each planning period, the services were kept consistent with the county's "How Will We Grow" program.

The Master Plan Update was completed entirely in-house by Manatee County Public Works staff and was peer-reviewed by Carollo Engineers.

Jankowski's report said the the current slowdown in growth provides for a perfect opportunity to reinvest in the existing system and take a proactive approach in addressing the issue of aging infrastructure.

Here are some of the key conclusions of the 2013 plan:

1. The near-term growth outlook has a high degree of uncertainty due to economic factors.

2. The emphasis with regard to recommendations is on efficiency and re-investment rather than expansion.

3. The future costs of annual pipeline renewal and replacement recommendations are significantly higher than those outlined in the 2003 Plan, partly due to updated costs but mostly due to the addition of 800 miles of pipeline to the analysis.

4. Projected renewal and replacement needs will accelerate rapidly during the study period.

5. Distribution system improvements totaling $193 million, are recommended over the next 20 years.

The public should be made aware of the challenges ahead and the expensive cost to replace the infrastructure that have been handed-down by prior generations.

The major components of the Manatee County water system include:

A. Lake Manatee Water Treatment Plant (WTP) - an 84 million gallon per day (MGD) water treatment plant with four (4) on-site high-service pumping stations and three (3) on-site storage tanks (a 1 MG elevated storage and two 10 MG ground storage tanks).

B. Five (5) booster pump stations, three of which include ground storage tanks (totaling 6.5 MG), located throughout the service area.

C. Five (5) other elevated storage tanks (totaling 4.5-MG) located throughout the service area.

D. Approximately 292 miles of transmission mains (larger than 12-inches in diameter).

E.  Approximately 1,248 miles of distribution mains (12-inches in diameter or smaller).

This 20-Year Water Distribution System Master Plan Update (“2013 Plan”) identifies the 2011- 2030 water distribution system improvements projected to be necessary to fulfill county goals and policies.

Commissioners voted unanimouslty (Whitmore absent) to accept the Master Plan Update as submitted by Public Works.