After 23 years in northeast Cape Coral, Vanessa DiCillo’s water supply – her lifeline – ran dry last year. “(I) was in the shower. I had the water on, and I jumped in the shower, and I’m taking a shower,” she recalled. “And all of a sudden, the water just stopped.” It happened last May. The Mid-Hawthorn aquifer – which her home relies on – had fallen to such a low level that her well could no longer pump water from it. “Laundry, shower, the toilets don’t work either,” she said. “I wanted to cry, if I’m being honest.” DiCillo had to have her well drilled deeper – and pay $11,000 to get it done. “I had a little nest egg put away, single homeowner. That was my nest egg — boom,” she said. WELL DRILLERS REMAIN BUSY IN NORTHEAST CAPE CORAL”Our availability of water is dropping. Drastically,” Keith Brautigan told Gulf Coast News. Brautigan owns Irrigation Plus, a well-drilling company that does most of its work in northeast Cape Coral. Last year alone, he said, they were hired to redrill or replace 75 to 100 wells in the area. Because of the water shortage, they’re now required to drill deeper. “Northeast Cape is in a crucial water state right now,” he said. “There’s an old adage, ‘it takes a village to raise a kid.’ Well, it takes a community to save this aquifer.” EXPERTS POINT TO ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AS ROOT OF PROBLEM Water restrictions have been in effect for nearly two and a half years in the area. First, people could only use irrigation systems once a week. Now, use is banned altogether. “The growth has just overcome what the aquifer can produce,” Mark Elsner explained. Elsner is with the South Florida Water Management District, the agency that issues the water shortage orders. He said the surge in development has led to the problems. “When you have such a dense population, quarter-acre lots, on an individual well and septic tank, that’s really not the way to provide water and sewer to the residents,” Elsner said. “All they do is say, ‘use less water, water restrictions,’ but yet they keep putting up houses,” DiCillo said. “They’re sticking straws into an empty cup — more straws, more straws — into a cup that they know is already empty.” As part of a Joint Action Plan approved by the city council in Cape Coral last year, Lee County could stop issuing well permits in the area. But that only happens if the aquifer falls lower – to a certain point. DESPITE DROUGHT, AQUIFER SHOWING SIGNS OF RECOVERY “What we’re seeing since the beginning of the dry season about three months ago, we’ve actually seen water levels increasing,” Elsner said.Data from the monitoring well in northeast Cape Coral shows the dip – a record-low last May – but since then a mostly steady rise in the water level, even despite the recent drought. “Given that we’re in drought conditions, recharge is not as great, and we’re seeing an increasing water level, I think that’s a good news story,” Elsner said. UTILITIES EXTENSION PROJECT: THE SOLUTION, BUT A COSTLY ONEElsner admits – with dry season ongoing – the area isn’t out of the woods yet. But he points to the water restrictions and the Utilities Extension Project as reasons for the recovery. Some homes in the shortage area have connected to city water and sewer, and utilities will be available to most by the end of next year, according to the city. “Through the city’s program, they’ve taken off around 800 straws out of the aquifer and put them on city water,” Elsner said. For homeowners like Vanessa DiCillo, the solution to the water shortage is just another problem – a costly one. “There’s just no way to make ends meet,” she said. Between city assessments and connection fees, it costs between $30,000 to $40,000 to get on city utilities once they are available. Amid a water shortage, DiCillo feels like she’s drowning. “I never thought I’d want to leave here,” she said. “I do love my home. But if I can’t afford to live, what are my options but to leave?” Connecting to the UEP is required within 180 days of receiving a Notice of Availability.People can receive financial assistance if they qualify. A Cape Coral spokesperson said the city manager was not available to talk about the issue. The mayor initially agreed to an interview, but a spokesperson later said he was also not available. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

After 23 years in northeast Cape Coral, Vanessa DiCillo’s water supply – her lifeline – ran dry last year.

“(I) was in the shower. I had the water on, and I jumped in the shower, and I’m taking a shower,” she recalled. “And all of a sudden, the water just stopped.”

It happened last May. The Mid-Hawthorn aquifer – which her home relies on – had fallen to such a low level that her well could no longer pump water from it.

“Laundry, shower, the toilets don’t work either,” she said. “I wanted to cry, if I’m being honest.”

DiCillo had to have her well drilled deeper – and pay $11,000 to get it done.

“I had a little nest egg put away, single homeowner. That was my nest egg — boom,” she said.

WELL DRILLERS REMAIN BUSY IN NORTHEAST CAPE CORAL

“Our availability of water is dropping. Drastically,” Keith Brautigan told Gulf Coast News.

Brautigan owns Irrigation Plus, a well-drilling company that does most of its work in northeast Cape Coral.

Last year alone, he said, they were hired to redrill or replace 75 to 100 wells in the area.

Because of the water shortage, they’re now required to drill deeper.

“Northeast Cape is in a crucial water state right now,” he said. “There’s an old adage, ‘it takes a village to raise a kid.’ Well, it takes a community to save this aquifer.”

EXPERTS POINT TO ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AS ROOT OF PROBLEM

Water restrictions have been in effect for nearly two and a half years in the area.

First, people could only use irrigation systems once a week. Now, use is banned altogether.

“The growth has just overcome what the aquifer can produce,” Mark Elsner explained.

Elsner is with the South Florida Water Management District, the agency that issues the water shortage orders.

He said the surge in development has led to the problems.

“When you have such a dense population, quarter-acre lots, on an individual well and septic tank, that’s really not the way to provide water and sewer to the residents,” Elsner said.

“All they do is say, ‘use less water, water restrictions,’ but yet they keep putting up houses,” DiCillo said. “They’re sticking straws into an empty cup — more straws, more straws — into a cup that they know is already empty.”

As part of a Joint Action Plan approved by the city council in Cape Coral last year, Lee County could stop issuing well permits in the area.

But that only happens if the aquifer falls lower – to a certain point.

DESPITE DROUGHT, AQUIFER SHOWING SIGNS OF RECOVERY

“What we’re seeing since the beginning of the dry season about three months ago, we’ve actually seen water levels increasing,” Elsner said.

Data from the monitoring well in northeast Cape Coral shows the dip – a record-low last May – but since then a mostly steady rise in the water level, even despite the recent drought.

“Given that we’re in drought conditions, recharge is not as great, and we’re seeing an increasing water level, I think that’s a good news story,” Elsner said.

UTILITIES EXTENSION PROJECT: THE SOLUTION, BUT A COSTLY ONE

Elsner admits – with dry season ongoing – the area isn’t out of the woods yet. But he points to the water restrictions and the Utilities Extension Project as reasons for the recovery.

Some homes in the shortage area have connected to city water and sewer, and utilities will be available to most by the end of next year, according to the city.

“Through the city’s program, they’ve taken off around 800 straws out of the aquifer and put them on city water,” Elsner said.

For homeowners like Vanessa DiCillo, the solution to the water shortage is just another problem – a costly one.

“There’s just no way to make ends meet,” she said.

Between city assessments and connection fees, it costs between $30,000 to $40,000 to get on city utilities once they are available.

Amid a water shortage, DiCillo feels like she’s drowning.

“I never thought I’d want to leave here,” she said. “I do love my home. But if I can’t afford to live, what are my options but to leave?”

Connecting to the UEP is required within 180 days of receiving a Notice of Availability.

People can receive financial assistance if they qualify.

A Cape Coral spokesperson said the city manager was not available to talk about the issue. The mayor initially agreed to an interview, but a spokesperson later said he was also not available.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.