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Bay County, Florida: Restoring Service After a Devastating Hurricane
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The JEA power utility's recovery team staging area.
n October 2018, Hurricane Michael, a category 5 storm, made landfall at Bay County, Florida, with devastating impact. The storm surge, winds, and rain destroyed property and endangered human life. The effects on Bay County’s water infrastructure were also serious. A water main was ruptured, commercial power was knocked out, cell phone service was disabled, roads were blocked, and municipal buildings were damaged. Nevertheless, within 7 days, Bay County was able to resume its wholesale water service to all points of delivery. In this interview, Benjamin Blitch, the Bay County utility director, Trevor Noble, the Bay County utility assistant director, and Bobby Gibbs, the Bay County Water Division superintendent, speak with Municipal Water Leader Editor-in-Chief Kris Polly about the experience of recovering from Hurricane Michael and the lessons the county agencies have learned from it.
to the Florida DEP in 2013 to serve as the source and drinking water program administrator. In 2015, I took a position as the public works director for the City of Callaway. In 2016, I came over to Bay County as assistant utility director.
Kris Polly: Please tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to be in your current positions.
Kris Polly: Please tell us about Bay County’s Water Division.
Benjamin Blitch: I’m a professional engineer. I graduated from Florida State University (FSU) in 2005. I worked for a private engineering company for 10 years or so before going to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2013 to serve as the assistant director of the Northwest District. In 2015, I left the DEP to take the position of Bay County utility director.
Trevor Noble: We own and operate the only surface water plant in the county. We provide water wholesale to seven municipalities and one air force base. Out of the seven municipalities, Lynn Haven is the only one that produces water. They have a well system that provides approximately 80 percent of their water demand; the county supplies the remaining 20 percent. We are the sole water source for unincorporated Bay County, Callaway, Mexico Beach, Panama City, Panama City Beach, Parker, Springfield, and Tyndall Air Force Base. We serve approximately 150,000 citizens.
6 | MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAY COUNTY.
Trevor Noble: I have had a pretty similar path. I graduated with an engineering degree from FSU in 2008 and worked for a private engineering firm for 8 years before going
Bobby Gibbs: I started working in the water industry in 1977. I started as a maintenance mechanic at a water treatment plant in Louisiana. After 2 years, I took a position as a plant operator, which I remained in for over 20 years. I later took the lab manager position before taking the superintendent position. I retired in 2009 after 33 years and moved to Florida. However, my retirement was short. I began working for Bay County as chief operator in 2010 and became water division superintendent in 2015.
