CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral plumbers report a surge in calls for well pump replacements as water levels continue to decline, with additional water restrictions set to begin May 2.
Some people living in North Cape Coral are waking up to find they have no running water and failed pumps due to dropping water levels.
Hear what a Cape Coral plumber says he is seeing in our community:
"These families are going without water for weeks, and they're just, they're just toughing it out," said Michael Crowe, Crowebird Plumbing and Drains.
Crowe says his calls have doubled over the last month.
"We've had droughts before, but nobody lost their well pumps, so now people are losing their well pumps," said Crowe.
He believes rapid development in the area has contributed significantly to the problem, particularly affecting older homes in Northwest Cape Coral.
Crowe and his partner Raul Garcia with Prime Lawn Irrigation are having to drill deeper wells to find sufficient water.
"As deep as we can go where we have, you know, sufficient water," said Garcia.
Crowe advises homeowners to take precautions if they notice water issues.
"If you wake up in the morning and you find that your well has dried up and you don't have water anymore, turn the breaker off to your well pump so it does not burn up," said Crowe.
A new pump can cost between $1,500 and $2,300, and plumbers are frequently finding they need to replace pumps completely.
"When a pump sucks, goes dry and has nothing to suck, it burns up and that's the end of it," said Crowe.
The South Florida Water Management District plans to implement stricter water restrictions beginning Friday, May 2. These new measures will prohibit lawn watering and limit new well permits for the area.
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