FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Fort Myers Beach is receiving over $1.2 million from the state to help repair and upgrade critical infrastructure damaged by storms, according to officials.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent, Anvar Ruziev, explains the upgrades:
The funding will support three key projects: repairs to the South End water tower, improved drainage in the downtown area, and street repairs throughout the community.
$350,000 will help repair and upgrade the South End water tower—one of only two on the island. The project will elevate a backup generator, replace valves, and harden the building to prevent damage in future storms.
Natalie Brown, who was visiting her mother on Fort Myers Beach, expressed support for the water tower improvements.
"I would like for my mom to have clean drinking water," Brown said.
Charles Green agreed with the priority of the water system repairs.
"That should have probably been fixed... that's kind of like the utmost priority, you know, that people have clean drinking water," Green said.
Nearly $300,000 is set aside to improve drainage downtown—where flooding after heavy rain remains a major issue. The plan includes building new stormwater infrastructure to reduce flooding along Estero Boulevard.
"I'm no stranger to natural disasters and flooding... obviously that's really sad, so you want the proper tools to be in place so those things don't happen," Brown said.
The largest portion of the funding will go toward repairs of streets, sidewalks, and curbs. According to funding documents, these improvements aim to enhance safety, disaster preparedness, and accessibility for residents and visitors.
The town will need to match each project dollar for dollar. All three projects are expected to be completed by 2026.
We're still waiting to hear from town officials on how they plan to secure their half of the funding.
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