Cape Coral residents frustrated with lack of reliable wells

North Cape Coral residents are once again victims of dry wells despite all the rain and flooding just last week.

A Cape man spoke for the residents and said there needs to be more rain and fast.

We asked what it would take for people in the Cape to have a reliable water source.

We also spoke to Rachel Rotz, a hydrogeologist from Florida Gulf Coast University Water School. She compared the state’s aquifer system to a layered cake because there are so many layers to the water system.

People are still struggling and wondering when they will get relief.

However, it’s more complicated than just hoping a few inches of rain will fix this ongoing headache.

“What aquifer is it in? How deep does it go down? Because if it goes down past the shallow unconfined aquifer, rainfall isn’t going to affect or replenish that aquifer for them,” Rotz said.

And Rotz said neighbors could end up competing to pull water from the same water supply in the ground.

“And that’s decreasing the pressure in the system, causing difficulties for houses to get the water out,” she said.

But Howard Bartels, who lives in North Cape Coral, said the problem is being made worse.

“It’s frustrating to see building permit after building permit and not seeing what it’s causing for the people who live here,” Bartels said.

And as the community keeps expanding and growing, Bartels said, “Instead, it’s just the all mighty dollar of getting as many houses as they can here, and they’re building roads, sidewalks and parks. Why don’t we use that money to divert it to put the water in instead of building an amphitheater or whatever they’re spending their money on — our money on?”