County commission awards contract to respond to HABs
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted on June 15 to award a one-year as-needed contract to Solitude Lake Management to provide collection, remediation, transfer, treatment and/or disposal of blue-green algae or similar threats from various county canals and waterways.
The board awarded the contract as a proactive measure to expedite the county’s response and clean-up efforts in the event of a harmful algae bloom. Extensions of the one-year contract may be negotiated.
In the summer of 2018, Lee County suffered a large harmful algae bloom that resulted in thick mats of blue-green algae in numerous waterways. Testing indicated high levels of microcystin, which is a toxic strain of cyanobacteria. Recognizing the potential health threats to the community as well as impacts to the recreational use for residents and visitors, the state funded a county-managed, major clean-up effort.
Earlier this year, the board supported the creation of a citizen resource Website, “Our Water Story: Lee County’s Water Quality Initiative,” at www.leegov.com/water. It features a story map to take visitors on a tour of the watershed, discussing the challenges and causes as well as the steps the county and partner agencies have taken to help improve local water quality.