FORT MYERS, Fla. — Fort Myers received a significant boost with a $6 million grant from the Department of Agriculture aimed at combating dirty water and pollution in local canals and creeks.

Residents along Billy’s Creek have long taken matters into their own hands, pulling trash from the water and doing what they can to prevent further degradation. They hope this grant will bring positive change.

One neighbor, who has lived by Billy’s Creek for nearly 10 years, shared her frustrations.

“You really can’t see the bottom. It’s just so filthy,” she said. “And there are times that it smells.”

She described the constant presence of garbage.

“There’s, there’s always garbage floating by empty cups, Styrofoam containers, and so I’m frequently cleaning up garbage,” she said.

Recreational activities have also been impacted.

“We like to kayak and we can’t. We haven’t used our kayaks for a few years,” she said.

The grant is part of efforts to address elevated bacteria levels and debris removal in waterways like Manuel’s Branch and Billy’s Creek.

Jason Pim, a volunteer with Calusa Waterkeeper, explained the complexity of the task.

“Billy’s Creek, Manuel’s Branch, and other creeks in Fort Myers have been verified and paired by the state for many years. And it’s a complex job to try and remedy that and restore those water bodies,” said Pim.

As of January, Manuel’s Branch and Billy’s Creek showed poor results for fecal bacteria levels, according to the Calusa Waterkeeper.

“People a lot in these neighborhoods and trying to enjoy those water bodies at times, you know, report, report that, you know, visually, it doesn’t look so great,” said Pim.

Residents remain cautious about the water quality.

“There’s people that fish there, but I think it’s just recreational. There’s no way you would eat a fish from that creek. You would be so sick,” said a neighbor.

The grant will fund initiatives like removing trash and debris, trimming tree canopies to increase UV light, and dredging canals to improve water flow.

“There are a great number of steps that probably should be taken to address the situation. So we’re hopeful that we can begin to improve the water quality of these water bodies,” said Pim.

Officials see the grant as a step towards long-term improvements and stronger storm resilience for the future.