Pinellas County wants $15 million from the state to flood-proof a wastewater plant with 30-year-old pumps that have reached the end of their service life.

County commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to apply for the money through Florida's Resilient Florida Grant Program and to commit $15 million in county matching funds. The combined $30 million would go toward upgrades at the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility near Joe's Creek in St. Petersburg, WUSF first reported.

The full project is estimated at $41.82 million. How the remaining roughly $12 million gap will be covered has not been disclosed.

The facility faces threats from sea-level rise, storm surge and extreme rainfall, according to the county's application. The county wants to bring the plant up to current standards while increasing pumping capacity for future demand. Planned improvements include replacing or adding pumps and pumping equipment, installing floodproof doors and relocating windows and electrical wiring. The design is not yet complete.

Pinellas County Commissioner Dave Eggers, who served as Dunedin's mayor before joining the county commission, wrote a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) committing to the county match if the grant is awarded. In the letter, Eggers said the project would support the county's efforts to protect infrastructure and improve public safety.

The county's $15 million share would come from the Sewer Renewal and Replacement Fund, under a pump station improvements line item in the proposed fiscal year 2027–2032 Capital Improvement Plan. Because Palm Harbor is unincorporated and relies on Pinellas County Utilities for wastewater service, county sewer-fund spending directly affects local ratepayers in that area.

The FDEP runs the Resilient Florida Program, which funds counties, cities and special districts working to address flooding and sea-level rise. The 2026 application window opened July 1 and closes Tuesday, Sept. 1. No timeline for grant award decisions has been announced.