Neighbors along Bimini Basin in Cape Coral concerned over boat pollution

People along Cape Coral’s Bimini Basin are concerned that lingering boats are bringing more pollution to the water.

The WINK News drone captured quite a few boats on the water. While Tom Toscano and Bob Toepfer love to see it, none of the boats should be there permanently.

“This guy came about two or three months ago and he’s never left,” Toepfer said.

Toepfer and Toscano live near the basin, and they say more and more boats show up these days and never leave.

“We’re concerned about the waste and dumping of the waste because there’s no pump trucks that come in and out of here, so we’re wondering how they’re getting rid of their waste,” Toscano said.

They don’t want their beautiful backyard to become someone’s wasteland.

“There’s little kids walking around and fishing off this pier all the time. If they’re pulling fish out of the water and people are dumping their waste here, I don’t think that’s too safe,” Toscano said.

A city spokesperson said Cape Coral can’t regulate who comes and goes and how long anyone stays until the state allows the city to build a mooring field in Bimini Basin.

The Clean Vessel Act requires boaters to secure a boat to a dock or mooring field and request a pump-out service from a provider. The city said it’s up to the Cape Coral Police Department’s Marine Unit to make sure boaters abide by the rules.

Cape Coral has a plan in the works but it’s going to be a while before anything gets done.