The City of Cape Coral will begin pumping water from a reservoir property at Southwest Aggregates in South Charlotte County into the freshwater canal system in Cape Coral.

The City will pump up to 8 million gallons per day (MGD) for two days, beginning next week. If the initial pumping is successful, Cape Coral will be permitted to pump up to 17 MGD from the reservoir. The total amount of water that will be pumped in the coming weeks will depend on the weather and conditions in the reservoir.

Water from the reservoir property will be pumped into drainage ditches along U.S. 41. The water will flow south into the Gator Slough Canal, which is located in the northern part of the city. The water will then be pumped via canal pump stations into the irrigation system to help maintain adequate pressure for irrigation and fire protection services.

“Rainfall has been well below average from November of 2019 to March of this year. This reservoir project will provide the City with a freshwater source to supplement irrigation supply for our community,” said Utilities Director Jeff Pearson. “We are pleased with how the various regulatory agencies came together to assist the City in securing the necessary permits required to move this project forward.”

The City worked with the South Florida Water Management District, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Department of Transportation to bring the temporary pumping project online.