SWFL residents asked to stay inside due to green algae stench

Residents asked to stay inside because of a smell so bad from green algae blooming in a Southwest Florida canal.

The bloom happened in the Rubican Canal in Cape Coral with the smell permeating the area. The smell is so strong and dense that the only way to escape it is by getting inside.

The city has warned the people who live along the canal that if you smell rotten eggs wear a mask or stay away.

Lance Buchanan bought his home on the canal almost a year ago and didn’t think that green algae would be a chronic issue.

“I thought it would just go away rather quickly. But it has not only stuck around but it’s increased,” Buchanan said. “And I enjoy fishing, kayaking. And when you’re on the canal, the worse it gets, the more clogged up it gets. And it just kills any fun that you want.”

However, living on the other side of the canal, Richard Dahlstrom isn’t seeing a lot of green algae.

“We have a boat that we haven’t been out lately,” Dahlstrom said. “At this point, it isn’t too bad in this particular canal.”

Dahlstrom’s biggest fear is the potential health risks from the algae and smell coming his way. The city issued a warning to residents in Cape Coral to stay inside if they smell anything rotten.

Cape Coral has also hired a private contractor that will treat the water next week. Buchanan is grateful for the help, however, he thinks it’s a little bit too late.

“It’s great to see and I think that will be beneficial maybe for next year,” Buchanan said. “But you know, this year, we’ve already lost a number of months.”

Some people told WINK News this is not the first time they’ve seen algae surface on their waterfront.