Local leaders in SWFL focus on sustainable water solutions

Water is a critical resource in Southwest Florida, supporting everything from fishing to boating and beaches.

However, the region has faced challenges such as hurricanes, harmful algal blooms, red tide, and water shortages, each leaving a significant impact.

Local leaders are taking steps to improve and protect water quality.

Captain Ozzie Lessinger, a fishing guide, emphasized the importance of maintaining water quality, stating, “If this water quality degrades to the point that people don’t want to be here, we don’t, we don’t have a lifestyle down here.”

Everett Austin expressed concerns about the current state of the water, saying, “They need to find a better system of letting all this stuff in here, keep it out of here. It’s making it really yucky, and the fishing’s bad.”

Bob Verrastro, Principal Hydrogeologist for the South Florida Water Management District, explained that nutrient discharge from Lake Okeechobee contributes to algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee River.

“When water is discharged from Lake Okeechobee, it does have the nutrients in that are one factor of creating the algae blooms,” said Verrastro. “Those nutrients are essentially what can create algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee River.”

In response, Fort Myers is working to reduce these discharges.

Jason Sciandra, Assistant Director of the Public Utilities Department for Fort Myers, noted that the city has been discharging treated effluent into the Caloosahatchee River for 40 years.

The shift in approach came after the algal blooms of 2017 and 2018.

“Currently, we’re permitted to discharge up to 23 million gallons a day of treated effluent,” Sciandra said.

A new treatment facility, operational since 2023, processes highly treated wastewater, allowing Fort Myers to send water to Cape Coral.

This facility has reduced river discharge by about 6 million gallons a day, with plans to send between 8 and 10 million gallons daily to Cape Coral.

Fort Myers is also exploring the use of reclaimed water for irrigation, reducing the need for processed drinking water. This initiative supports local activities like golf courses.

Sciandra stated, “The more people can use that water that’s been used once, we can reuse it again for irrigation and other needs like that.”

Efforts to manage water resources in Southwest Florida continue to evolve, aiming to sustain the region’s lifestyle and environment.