CAPE CORAL, Fla. — On Monday, the City of Cape Coral is working to clear some of the 156 miles of freshwater canals of Hurricane Ian debris.
It's a story Fox 4 first told you about back in Septemberwhen frustrated waterside residents showed our crews what was floating behind their homes.
On Monday, the City of Cape Coral's Solid Waste Manager, Terry Schweitzer said now that the city has received federal grant money to fund the project, the work can be done.
“We have basically moved on as a city it's just this one last piece of the puzzle that we are gonna continue to work on till the end of December,” said Schweitzer.
Schweitzer said the city wants to have freshwater canals cleared by December 31.
On Monday, while a lot of vegetation was being pulled from the water, the more concerning thing being pulled out according to people like Mark Heiser, was the porta potties.
"Every time they go in the water, every canal they're in they are pulling a porta potty out," said Schweitzer.
On Monday, unlike the past canal clean-ups
Schweitzer said crews won't be removing any of the trees or vegetation to enter the canals.
“We have to use existing boat ramps that we have around the city but because of the size of the barge we have to modify that boat ramp,” said Schweitzer.
The process for people like Mark Heiser, is good news.
“Well that's really good news because they are doing something to rectify the problem,” said Heiser.
