Cape Coral OKs $269M phase of utilities project

CAPE CORAL, Fla. The city officially approved construction contracts and loans Wednesday for the next phase of a decades-long utilities project.

But residents aren’t pleased about having to shoulder much of the $269 million cost.

‘First of all they’re compelling you. I don’t think they should,” homeowner Alice Siedelman said. “Everybody in this area I’ve talked to that are homeowners, they don’t want it. So why should we have to pay for something we don’t want?”

The city insists its Utilities Extension Project is essential to establishing and maintaining reliable service to customers. The latest phase will place new water, sewer and irrigation lines in an area north of Pine Island Road, providing service to nearly 9,000 properties.

The cost is $18,000 to each homeowner who pays in advance. Homeowners may also spread payments out over 20 years, but that increases the cost to $32,000.

Work on the latest phase is expected to begin later this month and take a year to complete. Click here for more information about the project.