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Tampa Bay Water Plans Controlled Burns At Reservoir

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 31, 2008

Tampa Bay Water will burn for the sake of the environment.

The water utility plans to conduct controlled burns at the C.W. Young Regional Reservoir through the late fall and winter months.

The burn sites are located on the West Pruitt mitigation area west of the reservoir, east of Hobson-Simmons Road and south of Boyette Road. Burns will also take place on the North Carlton-Smith area northeast of the reservoir, southeast of Browning Road and west of County Road 39.

The burns are part of the regional utility's land management program to remove nuisance plant species, encourage growth of native species and reduce the possibility of wild fires.

The burns will be conducted intermittently during optimal weather conditions. Tampa Bay Water spokeswoman Michelle Biddle Rapp said every effort will be made to keep smoke off of nearby roads. However, she urges drivers to use caution in case smoke leads to low visibility.

Tampa Bay Water built the 15 billion gallon drinking-water reservoir to draw water from the Alafia River and store it for use during the dry season. The utility provides wholesale water to governments in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties and to New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

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