Alice Schools said the construction in front of her home in northeast Cape Coral is not only costing her sleep, but also lots of money.
"It wakes me up in the morning," Schools said.
The North 1 Utilities Extension Project is the city's plan to hook up homes to the city's water system and replace private wells or septic systems. Neighbors say they've gotten notices from the city that they'd have to contribute thousands of dollars toward the project.
"They gave you choices on how to pay, and a lot of it we couldn't afford, but bottom line was $40,000 for us," Schools said.
The city said it is expecting to get more than $1.3 million in grant money for the project to pay for replacing 367 open throat catch basins, or drainage units that take in extra water after storms. The city clarified that this grant would not cut the amount homeowners are paying in contributions to the project.
"We're going into hurricane season, and I don't have a lot in savings for that. I feel like if they're going to get some kind of grant money, then it should be helping us out," said neighbor Lyn Hayes.
In December 2025, the city announced they're expecting to get another $6.5 million grant from the state for the project. Gulf Coast News was last told it's too early to tell if that grant will help out with the cost to homeowners, but has reached back out for an update.
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