News
Project enhances water quality in Charlotte Harbor
As found in: The Charlotte Sun HeraldProvided By The South Florida Water Management District
The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board recently authorized making an additional $172,629 investment in phase two the city of Cape Coral's Catch Basins Retrofit Project to improve water quality in the Lower Charlotte Harbor. With district assistance, the city is retrofitting its stormwater management system. The retrofits will improve water quality by reducing the impact of discharges into the Lower Charlotte Harbor Watershed, including the Caloosahatchee River.
"Water quality is a critical issue on the Lower West Coast," said SFWMD Governing Board member Charles Dauray. "The district is committed to partnering with local governments to support their efforts implementing projects that will improve the health of the Lower Charlotte Harbor Watershed."
The district contains a small portion of southern Charlotte County that is mainly used for agriculture.
As part of Cape Coral's ongoing improvement program, the Phase II retrofit project will replace 261 stormwater inlets. The new inlets will increase the amount of time stormwater stays in the swale system, giving nutrients and pollutants more time to settle out of stormwater flows. This reduces the amount of residential pollutants entering the watershed, such as fertilizers and pesticides, as well as oils and heavy metals collected from roadway runoff.
Construction for Phase II of the Catch Basin Retrofit Project is estimated to be $520,690. The district's contribution will come from state appropriations and the award of an additional $9,089, subject to approval of the district's fiscal year 2009 budget.
"We are grateful to the Florida Legislature for providing this funding," added Dauray. "Our communities and our environment continue to benefit from their significant support for projects that provide water quality improvements."
Previous awards of $300,000 and $893,500 to assist the city with prior phases of the stormwater improvement project puts the district's total contribution at more than $1.3 million, all directed at enhancing water quality within the Lower Charlotte Harbor Watershed.