CAPE CORAL, Fla.—As Cape Coral continues to grow, some residents are taking a closer look at where their water comes from—and whether the city’s supply can keep up.

RELATED: Entirety of Southwest Florida under extreme drought, worst conditions in 25 years

Rain fell on and off in Northeast Cape Coral for a couple of hours on Monday, helping dry lawns for now. But neighbors say a brief shower does not address the bigger issue: drought conditions and the long-term health of the area’s groundwater supply.

In many parts of Cape Coral, thousands of homes rely on private wells that draw water directly from the aquifer underground.

Longtime Cape Coral homeowner **Kevin Morrissey** says that makes water concerns more than just a landscaping issue.

“You got to eat, you got to shower, hygiene, medical, everything,” Morrissey said.

For some homeowners, the solution has been digging deeper wells. Morrissey’s neighbor, Tenya Rourke, says her well reaches about 190 feet underground.

“Our well is about 190 feet deep, so I don’t have any water issues,” Rourke said.

Even so, both residents say rapid growth around them raises questions about the future of the water supply.

Construction continues across the neighborhood, with new homes going up nearby and a larger subdivision planned about a mile away.

“We have no problem with the water. I’m a little leery with all the people building houses, but right now, I don’t have any problems,” Rourke said.

Morrissey says that kind of growth worries him.

“There’s a big subdivision being built about a mile away. I don’t know how they’re going to fund one,” Morrissey said.

The City of Cape Coral has already issued a water shortage notice in parts of the city.

For Morrissey, the combination of new development and water restrictions is confusing.

“I’m selling you a house, okay, you have water, and then the City of Cape Coral says, ‘Well, you can’t use the water.’ I’d go to jail. City of Cape Coral still building houses and telling us not to use water, but that’s okay,” he said.

 Residents say the issue ultimately comes down to a basic need.

“I’m in trouble. No water. There’s no — we can’t live without water,” Morrissey said.

WINK News contacted the City of Cape Coral to ask about current aquifer levels and how they compare to previous years. City officials say they are gathering that information and expect to have updated numbers soon.