Alafia Gets Stringent Protection

Tampa Bay Water officials have approved a plan that could reclassify the Alafia River to the highest standards of protection. They say it's needed to protect the flow into the new reservoir which skims water off the Alafia.

The reclassification now goes to the state Department of Environmental Protection for further review. The Alafia provides up to one-fifth of the drinking water for Tampa Bay Water, which includes Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties.