Originally published in Gulf Coast News by Samantha Carlson on May 12, 2026
Fort Myers has reduced discharge into the river by 50% over the past two years, which Sciandra described as “a huge benefit to the environment.”
The city stopped testing for human sources in 2024 after two negative detections, as required by the state. However, Calusa Waterkeeper, an advocacy group that has tested Manuel’s waterways for years, expressed concerns about possible contamination.
Jason Pim, Calusa Waterkeeper, said, “Some of the additional testing that we did as the Waterkeeper and also a test that the Department of Environmental Protection made in 2024, showed that there are still likely to be some human sources.”
Original Story