Cape Coral homeowners fear nearby construction may be polluting canal

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

A northwest Cape Coral couple says a cloudy white substance they believe may be coming from a nearby drilling site has been draining into the canal behind their home for weeks.

“It looks like milk coming out,” Bill McMahon said. “Like a watered-down milk.”

The McMahons say they first noticed the unusual water about a month ago.

“The smell was strong, like something rotten,” Bill said.

Since then, they say they’ve noticed dead fish floating in the canal and a shift in the wildlife they’re used to seeing.

“We had ducks in here. We have otters in here. I haven’t seen anything since this has been pumped in,” Andrea said. “The sediment is just going to eat it up until there’s nothing left.”

The couple believes the cloudy substance is coming from a black pipe at a construction site across the street near Kismet Parkway and Nelson Road, where crews have been drilling. Construction workers have since placed a yellow boom in the canal in an effort to contain whatever is leaking into the water.

Andrea says workers told her the material was “only sediment,” but the couple remains concerned, especially after Bill began experiencing headaches.

“There’s something in the water. It’s not supposed to be some kind of pollutant,” Bill said. “The kids go jet skiing here, they’re kayaking out here, they’re fishing out here. We don’t want anybody getting sick from it.”

The McMahons say they now want answers about what exactly is being drained into the canal and whether it poses any risk to people or wildlife.

Gulf Coast News reached out to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Cape Coral, asking whether they are aware of the discharge, whether any testing has been done, and if there is any concern about potential impacts to water quality or wildlife.

As of Wednesday, we are still waiting for our questions to be answered.

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