Technology could be used to respond to Lee County algae blooms

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Lee County confirmed a contract with a vendor that could respond to algae blooms if they get bad this year is expected to go before the board of commissioners next month.

In 2018, the county partnered with AECOM for a pilot program. Crews launched machines into about a dozen canals hit hard by algae in North Fort Myers and Cape Coral.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection granted the county more than $2 million in emergency funds to pay for it.

The county did not specify if AECOM is the vendor it will contract this year, or what type of service the vendor would provide.

Some people that saw slimy blue-green algae in their canals almost three years ago have said they think the technology would be worth a try again.

“If it got as bad as it did in 2018, that type of algae retrieval would be the first thing I would want to do,” said North Fort Myers resident James Lane. “It looked like you could walk across the canal because the algae was so built up.”

A Lee County official confirmed where the vendor’s teams would deploy to this year will depend on the conditions in each canal.

Crews would also have to be able to access the sites and provide measurable results.

AECOM has not yet responded to NBC2’s requests about the topic. 

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