PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — With the passage of the government spending bill, the city of Pinellas Park will receive more than half a million dollars for sewer upgrades.
The move comes as Congress passed a $1.5 trillion budget in which millions of dollars will be allocated in different grants and programs.
Pinellas Park will receive $700,000 for sewer upgrades, the city says, most specifically in the area of Belcher Road.
"On behalf of the Mayor, City Council and myself, we are truly grateful to Congressman Crist for securing money in the government funding bill that will allow us to continue to make improvements to our sewer system," Bart Diebold, city manager for the City of Pinellas Park, said. "Specifically, this funding will be upgrading our force main on Belcher Road."
Force mains are pipelines used to move wastewater from lower to higher elevation, particularly when gravity is not on its side. When a force main fails in an area, raw sewage can leak into waterways in the Tampa Bay area.