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Case Study: Urban Water Cleanup Protects Wildlife and Natural Beauty
Nov. 28, 2025
Background Information
- 60-mile-long Hillsborough River runs through the City of Tampa before flowing into Tampa Bay and eventually the Gulf of Mexico
- The Hillsborough River watershed drains an area of about 675 square miles
- 600 miles of stormwater pipes manage over 50 inches of annual rainfall
- Each year, 3.33 billion plastic pieces flow from the Hillsborough River into the bay
- 725,000 Tampa residents rely on the Hillsborough River as their primary source of drinking water
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- Multiple low bridges cause clearance issues, especially during periods of high water
- Some natural shoreline, though much of the riverbank has hardened seawalls
- River and canals are freshwater, but Tampa Bay is saltwater
- Widespread area of various waterways including rivers, canals and shipping channels
Operating 10-hours a day, 4-days a week, the Trash Skimmer patrols the waterways around Tampa, collecting floating debris.
In just two years, it has removed over 36 tons of trash, from everyday items like plastic bags, bottles, and wooden debris to unexpected finds like a 12-foot buoy bumper and lawn furniture.
The collected debris is taken to the Waste-to-Energy Facility, where it’s converted into electricity.
