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Tampa Bay Water's new leader praises utility planning, standing

By Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writer
In print: Monday, March 24, 2008

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ADVERTISEMENT Gerald Seeber started March 1 with an annual salary of $168,000.

After 12 years, Tampa Bay Water has a new general manager.

Gerald Seeber replaced Jerry Maxwell, who retired as head of the regional utility in February.

Seeber has more than a passing acquaintance with the utility's history. In the late 1980s, as city manager of New Port Richey, Seeber was one of 18 local officials who met to form the West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority. It would eventually become Tampa Bay Water.

Seeber spent nearly 16 years working as New Port Richey's city manager before he quit in 2004 to become city manager of Oviedo, a town about 10 miles from Orlando. There, he made $135,662.59 a year. In January, the Tampa Bay Water board hired Seeber for $168,000 a year. His first day was March 1.

"This job is a really cool job, and I'm pleased to be here," said Seeber, who is renting a home in Safety Harbor for now to be near his new office in Clearwater.

Times reporter Craig Pittman spoke to Seeber at the end of his first week on the job.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the utility?

The authority's reputation is well-known. Its drought-resistant water supply featuring a combination of supply sources is well-documented. We have multiple sources of supply.

What are the challenges you foresee coming up in the next few years?

The challenge that the authority faces, that fairly everyone in Florida faces, is that people are still moving to Florida and to Tampa Bay. Our challenge is to provide excellent quality and quantity of water to accommodate that growth. The board of directors and the elected officials have done a great job of planning for the future. The challenges we see are further out on the horizon, into 2015 (and beyond).

Do you expect to expand the $158-million desalination plant in Apollo Beach or perhaps someday build a second desalination plant?

The current desal plant does have the ability to expand by 10-million gallons. Desal will continue to be the path of the authority. Both of those ideas have been incorporated into planning documents so I would say yes, they are going to be part of the mix.