Rivers of runoff and pollution being ignored
To the editor:
Did you know our canals have never been dredged since they were built??Did you know that our Beach canals are under extreme high and low tides to the point marine vessels cannot get through them during low tides, while during high tides, a river runs through these very same neighborhood properties??Did you know our canals are full of pollution as a result of runoff??
Citizens of Fort Myers Beach canal-front properties are organizing a petition to finally demand the cleanup of our extremely damaged canals.?A call to action is in effect for every canal-front property owner and renter to sign the petition to insist upon clean water in our town.?Clear waters are our basic rights,?and it’s time we stand up for them.?Property values are going down as a result of this problem, while actual rivers are running right through these neighborhoods, bringing along every form of pollution with it.?All you need to do is look no further than the streets of Palermo Circle and Santos Road. During a light rain this neighborhood completely goes underwater, while bringing every form of pollution with it down the slippery slope.?The majority of canals on Fort Myers Beach are dealing with the same issue.?Rumor has it that these canals will not be dredged, due to finances, or lack there of. ?Basically, it’s simply too expensive to do.
However, at what cost do we personally pay for ignoring a major problem with water quality? Imagine showing your property to a potential buyer and being forced to show them what appears to the naked eye is all oil slicks on the surface of the water.?Imagine small resorts showing vacationers the property, as these potential renters are forced to observe the mounds of trash, waste and who knows what compiled in the corners of each canal.?It’s not good for business, it’s not good for our town’s image and it certainly isn’t taking responsibility to water quality on Fort Myers Beach.?
As Clean Water Activists, we promise not to stop until this very serious problem is addressed by our Town Council.?We, as clean water activists, will be going up and down each canal to document the pollution for the next month, while at the same time going door to door with petitions for canal front property owners and renters to sign.?Once all the petitions are compiled, we will turn it in to town hall to demand action for our community.?We refuse to let our town circumstances continue to be ignored, as it is a basic responsibility to have this issue met head on.
Without clean water being provided to our tourism sector, full time residents, snowbirds, and everyone else who reside on these canals will not only watch property values decrease, they will also see the loss of tourism as a whole. We will be organizing and mobilizing a “clean up our canals” local movement through dialogue, education and unifying as a community to create our own task force to save our canals.?We encourage all canal-front folks to get involved, write letters to the local papers, and expect to see us with the petitions to sign at your doors.?We must no longer live in complacency when it comes to the health of our waterways.?it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the environment, well also saving our neighborhoods.?If we do nothing, then we too are a part of the problem.?We look forward to meeting you and signing the petitions.?We are here to help you. Now let’s demand that the town help you as well!
John G. Heim
Clean Water Activist??
Fort Myers Beach ?