The City is Growing!
As we all know, water is becoming a commodity in Southwest Florida. Municipalities need to be implementing new technologies and designs to help with this shortage and the City of Fort Myers is doing just that. In expanding their facilities to the east, the City has the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art water reclamation facility to help "recycle" the water that is going down the drain.
The City of Fort Myers has owned property on Lee Boulevard west of Alvin Avenue since the early 1900s. In the 1950s, this property was used as a landfill which was abandoned in the 1980s, and the site has been unused since then. The City has decided that it is time to make the site something we can be proud of!
The City of Fort Myers is proposing to build an environmental campus that will contain a new state-of-the-art water reclamation facility, landscape nursery and walking trails to provide outdoor recreation opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods. The East Water Reclamation Campus will be bordered by bermed landscape areas to add visual interest to the site, and picnic tables will be included on the site.
Water Reclamation Facility
Master Planning efforts by the City of Fort Myers have identified the need for water reclamation infrastructure in the easternmost part of the City. Due to rapid growth, future development projections and State and Federal regulations, that time has come.
The City currently has two wastewater treatment facilities in the south and central parts of the City, which due to space limitations and system capacity cannot support future growth. With the City’s growth to the east of I-75, this City-owned property is the most strategically located site for a water reclamation facility, and best of all, the campus will include open outdoor space that everyone can enjoy!
Environmental and community benefits of this project are far-reaching and include renovation of an existing landfill and re-routing of County solid waste trucks, relieving this traffic from much of Alvin Avenue. The project will be implemented with the following environmental features:
- Wetland preserve
- Native vegetation preserve
- Removal of non-native plants (ie: Brazilian Pepper)
- Surface Water Lake
The new facility will promote more widespread use of reclaimed water for irrigation purposes, helping to conserve our precious water resources. With concerns for the availability of groundwater resources and water quality in our area, there couldn’t be a better time for the City to do its part to help.
Latest News
Updated July 24, 2008
PROJECT SCHEDULE
An updated project schedule and detailed design will be available later this year.
Downloads
July 2007
Public Information Workshop April 24, 2007
East Fort Myers Water Reclamation Campus - Newsletter Vol. 1 (Adobe Reader Required)
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Site last updated on Tuesday, September 23, 2008!