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Better drainage, sewer, internet coming to Hillsborough Co. thanks to new funding boost
TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County can start checking off some major infrastructure projects on its to-do list, including drainage and sewer system upgrades, broadband internet, and affordable housing.
On Wednesday, Hillsborough County commissioners approved using $104-million in federal money, allocated from the American Rescue Plan, to put toward projects the county did not previously have funding to complete.
"This really puts us a foot forward on funding projects that we had already identified as part of the community’s needs," said Harry Cohen, the Hillsborough County Commissioner for District 1.
About $70-million will pay for a septic-to-sewer conversion project which will protect groundwater and eliminate septic tanks around the area.
"In unincorporated Hillsborough County, we have over 26,000 homes that are on septic systems that are old. They need to be put onto the regular sewer system so that we don’t have little tiny environmental accidents occurring all over the county," said Cohen.