Cape Coral makes deal with mine to supplement water

CAPE CORAL – The city of Cape Coral is now under a mandatory once-a-week watering schedule.

The city manager declared an emergency water shortage as the area finishes out another week with no significant rainfall.

Cape Coral residents have been watching the water levels drop around their homes for months.

"You can see where that water line is that dark line that's for the water usually is," said Ron McKay.

McKay understands why the city is moving to a once-a-week watering schedule.

"We'll just water on Sunday nights," he said.

City officials say Cape Coral residents can use up to 40-million gallons of irrigation water a day.

"We're on track to this being the worst drought in recent memory," said Cape Coral Utilities Director Jeff Pearson.

On top of a new watering schedule, the city is also doing an emergency water supply test on a project years in the making.

"We're going to be supplementing our canals with 17 million gallons a day of fresh water from a reservoir along US-41 north of Cape Coral," Pearson said.