Councilwoman Lisa Gonzalez Moore Launches Public Education on Multi-Year Lift Station 3 Expansion in Bradenton

BRADENTON — City Councilwoman Lisa Gonzalez Moore is kickstarting a significant public awareness campaign on one of Bradenton’s largest infrastructure undertakings in recent years — the Lift Station 3 Expansion and Complete Collection System Replacement Project.

This project, scheduled to span the next three to five years, will overhaul critical components of the city’s wastewater system, beginning with Lift Station 3. The aging infrastructure will be replaced with modern, high-capacity equipment that can better serve the growing demands of Bradenton’s neighborhoods.

To help residents understand what’s involved, Gonzalez Moore is starting with the basics: what is a lift station, and why is it important?

Lift stations are essential in municipal wastewater systems. They serve as pumping facilities that move sewage from lower elevations to higher ground when gravity alone isn’t enough to keep wastewater flowing. As shown in the educational diagram released by the City of Bradenton, wastewater flows from homes and businesses through the public sewer main via gravity. Once it reaches a low point, it enters a lift station, which is pumped through pressurized pipes — known as a sewer force main — to continue its journey to the wastewater treatment plant.

This system is essential in flat or low-lying areas like Bradenton, where minimal elevation changes and gravity can't always do the job. The Lift Station 3 project will modernize these pumping functions and replace outdated pipelines in the surrounding collection system to prevent backups, leaks, and environmental hazards.

Gonzalez Moore emphasized that keeping residents informed and involved will be a priority throughout the project’s timeline. She plans to host community updates and share regular progress reports to ensure transparency and engagement.

With additional funding likely from state and federal infrastructure programs, the Lift Station 3 upgrade is not just a routine improvement — it’s a foundational step toward securing safe and sustainable wastewater management for decades to come.