Cape Coral leaders to discuss improvements of Bimini Basin Monday

Members of the SWFL community are fighting for more water tests of Bimini Basin before a big new development breaks ground.

It’s a popular spot in Cape Coral for boaters, but abandoned boats and overflowing waste water have neighbors worried about their health.

On Monday, the city council and mayor are set to discuss a possible change to the plans for the area.

The idea includes adding a mooring field with rules and regulations to the basin. The mooring field would act as a sort of parking lot for boats.

The city says the mooring field will help establish time, place, manner and regulation for anchoring boats in Bimini Basin.

But neighbor Yolanda Olsen wants to make sure Cape Coral doesn’t forget what the bigger problem is.

“Once the water gets here, it’s our problem,” Olsen said. “I’m for the mooring field, with two caveats. That the Marine police in Cape Coral continue their current high level of surveillance of all these boats…and second that they identify that source in the Rubicon because the water spills right into the Bimini.”

The city says they’ve tested the water every two weeks. Two of the past three samples have shown “much-reduced levels” of bacteria normally found in fecal matter. And while Olsen is happy to see more regular testing, she wants the city to identify the source of the fecal bacteria.

“Storm drains bring that water here to the Bimini Basin and so I want the city to identify the source of that south end of the Rubicon canal fecal matter and re-mediate it…quickly,” she said.

Cape Coral adds that they’re working on clearing storm water pipes that connect the Rubicon Canal to Bimini Basin. The meeting about the mooring field will be held Monday at 4 p.m.