Palmetto Pine works with Cape Coral to reduce potential for algal blooms

There’s a short-term plan in place to keep toxic blue-green algae out of canals near neighbor’s homes.

Cape Coral City Council plans to work with Palmetto Pine Country Club to reduce the amount of toxic algae flowing through the water.

The city discussed changing where the golf course at Palmetto Pine pumps water for irrigation.

Monday, the council also talked about suspending the course’s current permit to pump water out of the Makai canal. However, there’s still no plan when or how that will happen.

Neighbor Mike Eads can smell murky water from the Makai canal every time he steps into his backyard.

“We’ve been out most of the day in both my wife and I both have sore throat’s now from breathing in the toxins and she has a headache,” Eads said.

Eads says the Makai canal has been this way for weeks, so he’s happy the city is working to do something about it.

“The city has been here today Monday and has put at least something in the canal in three or four places,” Eads said.

We know those were devices created by AquaFlex to help curb the issue of the toxic algae.

The city said it doesn’t know what’s causing the algae in the Makai, Highlander and Boris canals, which are all experiencing toxic blooms.

But it discussed a short-term plan that includes working with the Palmetto Pine to clean up the algae in its ponds and using the clay Aquaflex sponges and other tools to absorb the algae.

“It’s nice if they are trying to work on it,” neighbor Maryoris Martinez said. “I hope they can do something about it.”

Martinez hopes the water is clean again soon.

“I hope the city can work as fast as they say,” Martiniez said.

The president of Palmetto Pine Country Club maintains the algae did not come from the golf course. He says they are working with the city to do whatever they can to help solve the problem.

The city talked about adding additional funds for preventative measures and water quality programs. And we should know in a matter of days if the blue-green algae toxins from the canals reached the air.

“I think they should put all of the effort into it that they can,” Eads said.