A $750,000 federal allocation will contribute to a larger, $41.8 million project designed to increase capacity and protect critical infrastructure from flooding.

Pinellas County has received $750,000 in federal funding to upgrade an aging pump station at the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility in St. Petersburg.

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna presented county officials with a ceremonial check Tuesday at the facility, located at 7401 54th Ave. N.

The funding will go toward improvements to the facility’s Reclaimed Water High Service Pump Station, which was built in 1995 and has reached the end of its expected service life, according to county documents.

“This water pump station is a critical part of the local community’s infrastructure, and has been in dire need of updates and repairs,” Luna said. “I’m more than happy to deliver this funding back to Pinellas County so we can make the necessary refurbishments to meet our community’s growing demand for years to come.”

The South Cross Bayou facility can treat up to 33 million gallons of wastewater per day. Treated water is stored in three six-million-gallon tanks before the pump station sends it into the South County reclaimed water system and back through the treatment plant for other uses.

County officials have said the existing station struggles to maintain standard pressure throughout the distribution system.

Planned improvements include replacing mechanical, electrical and control equipment and installing new pumps capable of handling current and projected demand. The county also plans to protect electrical components from flooding and storm surge.

Those resilience improvements have taken on additional importance following recent storms. County officials said South Cross Bayou was among the utility facilities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.

“Modernizing the High Service Pump Station is essential to keeping our reclaimed water system strong for our residents,” said Jeremy Waugh, director of Pinellas County Utilities. “This funding helps us replace aging infrastructure, strengthen the facility against storms and flooding, and prepare for future demand.”

The $750,000 federal allocation represents only a portion of the money needed for the project. Pinellas County estimates the total cost at approximately $41.8 million, according to documents presented to county commissioners in August. The commission authorized staff to seek an additional $15 million through Florida’s Resilient Florida Grant Program.

That state program requires at least a 50% local match. County documents identify sewer renewal and replacement funds as the source of the matching money.

The project was at 90% design when commissioners approved the grant application in August.

The county previously awarded engineering firm Ardurra Group Inc., a roughly $1.64 million contract to design the improvements. Plans include replacing or adding seven pumps, upgrading variable-frequency drives and valves and replacing instrumentation and control systems.

The work is also designed to address sea-level rise, flooding and storm surge risks to the facility’s electrical infrastructure.

Luna presented the federal funding alongside Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott, Waugh and county employees.