CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A project that will take reclaimed water from Fort Myers and carry it under the Calooshatchee River to Cape Coral is underway.
The Caloosahatchee Connect allows the City of Cape Coral to purchase millions of gallons of reclaimed water from Fort Myers instead of discharging it into the Caloosahatchee River.
The water will do several things in Cape Coral. It will help keep canal levels up during the dry season.
It can be used for irrigation, to allow residents to water their yards, gardens, flower beds, and other during dry periods.
The other use is for the Cape Coral Fire Department to help with water pressure and can be used to put out fires.
Work began on Thursday in Horton Park where the pipeline will emerge in Cape Coral after being connected to the reclaimed water main in Fort Myers.
The project was agreed upon back in 2018 and is expected to cost $22.5 million dollars.
What is the purpose of the project?
The Caloosahatchee Connect project goal is to enable the City of Cape Coral to receive reclaimed water from the City of Fort Myers by connecting the two systems via a pipeline. This project will be beneficial to both the City of Cape Coral and the City of Fort Myers. The reclaimed water transmission main will reduce discharges to the River while providing more reclaimed water to Cape Coral. The additional water source will reduce withdrawals from freshwater canals and help maintain water levels during the dry season. Reclaimed water is treated to conform to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection standards. This water is used for irrigation purposes to water lawns and for fire protection purposes only. Reclaimed water is NOT potable water.
