Gibsonton Resources & FAQs

This is a wastewater service improvement project in the Gibsonton area that will connect businesses and property owners south of the Alafia River, north of Bullfrog Creek, and west of I-75 to safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible wastewater services. The new wastewater improvement project will allow customers on septic systems to connect to the County’s wastewater collection and treatment system (sewer service). The project includes installing a new vacuum pump station at Gibsonton Elementary School, a new booster pump station at Poinsettia Street, and installing wastewater and potable water mains.

The estimated cost for Phase 1 of the septic-to-sewer conversion is approximately $61 million. The cost for the other phases is still to be determined.

Phase 1 design and permitting is anticipated to be completed by early 2025. Construction is anticipated to start in early 2025 and be complete as soon as early 2027. The timeline for phases 2-4 is still to be determined.

The new project will allow customers on septic systems to connect to the County’s wastewater collection and treatment system (sewer service). Phase 1 of this project is to construct the infrastructure necessary to support future sewer and drinking water system needs. Elements of this phase of the project include surveying and engineering investigations to support the design of these infrastructure improvements and the construction of a new vacuum sewer collection system including a vacuum pump station at Gibsonton Elementary School and an Inline Booster Pump Station at Poinsettia Street.

Additionally, the project includes improvements to the drinking water systems including the construction of new water mains, water service connections, and the removal of aging asbestos water mains in the Gibsonton area. The project will be completed in the following phases.

• Phase 1A – Vacuum Pump Station
• Phase 1B – Force Main and Inline Booster Pump Station
• Phase 1C – Water and Vacuum Mains
• Phase 2 – Water and Vacuum Mains
• Phase 3 – Water and Vacuum Mains
• Phase 4 – Water and Vacuum Mains

South of the Alafia River, north of Bullfrog Creek, and west of I-75 along Symmes Road. The project area includes hundreds of single-family, multi-family, mobile homes, and commercial, industrial, and institutional properties.

View the project boundaries in the image on the Project Information page to see a larger Phase 1 map.

Septic systems work by slowly releasing wastewater through a drain field but aging or failing septic systems often do not fully treat waste. Untreated waste can then migrate to nearby bays, rivers, lakes, and drinking water wells. In extreme cases, failed drain systems can result in untreated waste in yards, creating a major health hazard. The reduction and elimination of septic systems is one way we can proactively improve and protect our health, our community, and our valuable waterways. Other benefits of removing septic tanks and connecting to sewer service include:

• Reduced bacterial and nutrient pollutants entering groundwater and other water bodies.
• Increased property value
• More land is available for building and beautification
• Reduced maintenance and odors

Based on the location of the existing lateral pipeline that connects your home to the septic tank, an appropriate location along the vacuum sewer pipeline will be selected as a connection point within the County right-of-way or easement. A new sewer lateral extension from the selected vacuum main connection point to the existing septic lateral will be installed. Once the connection to the sewer system is in service, your existing sewer lateral to the septic system will be cut and reconnected to the new sewer lateral as shown in the graphic below. You will only experience a brief interruption in wastewater service during the connection process (2-4 hours on average). Any interruption in service will be coordinated with the homeowner in advance.

Follow the link to view a drawing of a New Sewer Connection, or see it in the gallery on the Project Information page.

A vacuum sewer collection system is a completely closed system that prevents wastewater exposure to the atmosphere. It has three basic components: a vacuum valve pit, vacuum pipes, and a vacuum pump station that operate together to move wastewater to a force main (pipe), where it is transported to a treatment facility. The process is described below, and you can see the components illustrated in the vacuum sewer system components diagram:

• The vacuum valve pit, located in the public right of way, receives wastewater from the customer through a gravity lateral located on private property
• Once a specific amount of wastewater collects in the bottom of the vacuum valve pit, the valve opens and wastewater from the vacuum valve pit is removed by the negative pressure in the vacuum main
• The network of vacuum mains throughout the system delivers wastewater to the vacuum pump station. The contents from the vacuum mains enter the vacuum pump station at the collection tank.
• All wastewater in the collection tank is pumped from the vacuum pump station to the County’s force main located in the right-of-way and transferred to the regional wastewater treatment for disposal

The Vacuum Pump Station is typically a two-story concrete building with sewage pumps and a collection tank on the first floor and the vacuum pumps and control panels on the second floor.

To learn more about Hillsborough County’s Septic-to-Sewer Conversion program visit General S2S Project Info.

No land acquisition is required since the proposed vacuum pump station site is located on property owned by Hillsborough County Public Schools.

Construction will generally take place Monday through Friday, with occasional night and weekend work as needed to minimize traffic disruptions.

Construction will occur between 7 AM and 5 PM, with occasional nighttime work as needed to minimize traffic disruptions.

Decommissioning a septic system and connecting to a sewer service can increase property values, provide additional land for building and beautification, eliminate septic system maintenance costs, and reduce noxious odors. Sewer systems are also more reliable and resilient during extreme weather events that cause rising groundwater levels.

Construction activities that require temporary road closures and/or detours will be clearly marked by signage to assist motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists navigating through and around the construction areas. In some cases, flagmen will be present to direct traffic. Temporary road closures and detour information will also be posted on the project alerts page and distributed as Alerts to those who register to receive them.

Normal property access may be affected as construction progresses along the streets within the project limits. Property owners and tenants will be notified before construction affects access. The contractor will work to minimize the duration of disruption and ensure an alternative access route is maintained.

Mail delivery and solid waste/recycling services will be maintained throughout the construction. The contractor will coordinate with service providers and residents in the event construction activities will temporarily affect these services. Any service interruptions should be reported by calling the project contact number at (813) 322-1534 or emailing projectinfo@GibsontonS2S.com.

You can obtain more information on the project by calling the project contact number at (813) 322-1534 or emailing the community outreach team at projectinfo@GibsontonS2S.com.

Residents, businesses, property owners and tenants located along active project areas will be notified of upcoming construction activities and associated impacts via door-hanger notifications. Updated project information will also be provided on the project website.

You can obtain more information on the project by calling the project contact number at (813) 322-1534 or emailing the community outreach team at projectinfo@GibsontonS2S.com.

The County will pay for the capital costs of the new sewer system. Normally the service connection costs are the responsibility of the property owners. The Water Resources Department is pursuing special funding to assist property owners with the conversion from septic to sewer. The details of the connection assistance program are being developed. Once finalized, the program would require the Board of County Commissioners review and approval. Information regarding the approved connection assistance program will be communicated and distributed to residents when the new sewer system is ready for use.

You can enter your address in the GIS map on the project website Gibsonton Project Information to check the status of the new pipelines being installed in your area as part of the vacuum sewer project.

Most homes in private communities without public right-of-way or public utility easements will not be able to connect to the new vacuum sewer system. Property owners interested in connecting to the County sewer system in the future must submit an application to the County Water Resources Department for approval. For more information about the application process for a new sewer system connection, please visit this web page: Converting Your Septic System to County Wastewater.

If a property owner chooses to convert to the new vacuum sewer system in accordance with the project connection period for their area, they will not have to hire their own plumber. A plumber will be contracted as part of the project to connect individual properties to the new vacuum sewer system and decommission the septic systems.

However, if a property owner decides to convert after the project connection period is finished, they will need to hire their own licensed plumber to connect the property to the vacuum sewer system at their own expense.