CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
Cape Coral’s North Three Utilities Extension Project (UEP) is being delayed by a year as it returns to the redesign phase, raising concerns among residents about rising costs and the project’s timeline.
Mike Stone, a Cape Coral resident for 26 years and a local realtor, shared his concerns about the delay.
“So the overall delay in getting us onto city water and sewer could hurt us. I’m just not sure that everybody understands that,” Stone said.
Stone also highlighted the potential implications of the delay for homeowners.
“I don’t think the general homeowner concerns themselves with how fast the entire city gets done because they don’t understand the implications of that. I do think it’s a problem if we have committed that we’re going to get this done by a certain date,” Stone said.
On Wednesday, the Cape Coral City Council decided to delay the North Three portion of the UEP. Data shows that each utility extension project has seen price increases over time. The city accelerated its UEP timeline after the Mid-Hawthorn Aquifer dropped to critical levels. North One is expected to cover about 75% of the water-shortage area by 2027, while the current plan calls for North Six to cover the remaining area by 2030.
Pete McEvoy, who moved to Southwest Cape Coral 12 years ago, reflected on the financial challenges tied to the project.
“They’ve been talking about how they continue to march forward up in the northwest area, which, of course, was more rural, more wells and stuff like that,” McEvoy said. “I suspect there’s a lot of resistance to the cost, and that really has a lot with slowing it down.”
The rising costs have been attributed to inflation and the increasing price of construction materials. When the project first began, assessments were around $15,000, but they are now significantly higher.
“So I really think that what we were hoping for was that the assessment would go back down to $35,000,” Stone said.
He added, “Right now it’s about to cost me $500 to $600 a month for my water bill. That becomes the most expensive thing that I pay other than my mortgage.”
The financial burden and potential for further delays have left residents concerned about the project’s future.
City officials have not yet provided a timeline for completing the entire UEP or a target date. They are also working on answers regarding potential fines, additional water restrictions, or other actions from the state, with a response expected next week.
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.