Lehigh Acres homeowner finally sees progress on long-standing drainage problem

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. - After years of dealing with flooding in his front yard, a Lehigh Acres homeowner is finally seeing progress on a drainage issue that once turned his property into a pond.

WINK News first brought you Eddie Labron’s story back in September, when standing water regularly flooded his front yard after rain, making daily routines difficult and impacting the entire neighborhood. Now, there’s visible change.

Crews have been working at Labron’s home over the past few days, and the difference is already noticeable. New grading and fresh dirt have replaced the standing water that once sat in front of his driveway.

“I’m very happy with the result right now,” Labron said.

Drone video from September shows Labron’s front yard submerged in water.

New video from this week shows dry ground, newly shaped swales, and grass being placed where water once pooled.

“They’ve actually dug one day, then put some new dirt on it to make it look more secure, and now they’re actually putting grass on it,” Labron said.

Back in September, Labron submitted a Request for Action form with Lee County after years of frustration. At the time, he was told the fix could take several months.

According to Lee County, DOT Drainage Maintenance crews have now completed ditch work along both sides of 36th Street SW, grading the swales to improve stormwater flow into nearby canals. The county says the next step is clearing the culvert pipes using a specialized truck designed to remove blockages and debris.

The work is part of a long-term grading plan that also includes bi-annual maintenance to prevent vegetation from blocking drainage canals. County officials say the project is expected to be completed by the first week of January.

After dealing with the issue for more than 20 years, Labron says he’s grateful to finally see action — and hopes the improvements help others on his street.

“We hope that this will benefit the whole entire neighborhood here, so people don’t have to walk through that big, giant puddle we had before,” Labron said.

WINK News will continue to follow this story and share updates as the county completes the remaining work.