Canal cleanup in Cape Coral

Storm surge from Ian swept tree branches and garbage up into the canals in Cape Coral while trash continues to pile up which nobody is happy about.

In the aftermath of Ian, murky canal water might not seem like the biggest problem for someone to deal with.

So, Cape Coral resident, Honey Cruz, is trying to keep a positive outlook and put things in perspective.

“I think that surviving with the people on their city streets is more important than their, than the canals,” Cruz said.

But, on the day Ian wreaked havoc on Southwest Florida, it was a different story.

“It seems like the water came in. It rushed in. Then it rushed out. Our streets were like rivers,” Cruz said. “I only had four inches. But unfortunately, four inches can equate to four feet of cutting the walls in your house.”

With the water back inside the canal instead of her home, Cruz is trying to stay positive. But, the destruction the water left behind is very hard to miss.

“This street looks clean now. It wasn’t. The debris, piles were of greenery, and then furniture were so high. You could barely look down the street,” Cruz said.

That was just a few days ago, so if there was debris on the roadways, what’s underneath the waterways?

“I’m sure that the city will investigate that,” Cruz said.

All of which has been cleaned up already with some help from her neighbors. And despite the messy cleanup process, Cruz told WINK News she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I wouldn’t live in Cape Coral if I wasn’t on a canal. I love my canal,” Cruz said.

WINK News asked the city who exactly is responsible for the cleanup process in the canals, but hasn’t heard back yet.