Drought keeping Gulf waters 'crisp,' 'beautiful'

This story was written on deadline for the metro section.

Sanibel and Captiva are experiencing the best water quality in 10 years on their beaches but area water officials are working to remind the public that it's Mother Nature's resilience that is currently keeping the water so clear.

The Purre Water Coalition of Fort Myers held its second annual Restore Our Water Forum on Sunday to inform the public about ongoing efforts to restore local ecosystems and deal with urban pollution.

"We are one storm away from the water woes of the past and we are here to say that we still need to be active and pay attention to water quality," said Sanibel Mayor Mick Denham to a crowd of more than 60 that gathered at the Sanibel Community House. "The water is crisp and beautiful but that's only because of the lack of water."

Paying attention to the quality of the water is especially important to Charles Dauray who was one of the six members of the panel assembled by Purre for the forum.

"As a generation - and I'm 65 ... we've been somewhat spoiled and considered water a right and privilege," said Dauray, the governing board member of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. "We have to now realize that our resource is limited and work to find solutions."

The complex issue elicits discussions about sewer, waste water and fertilizer run-off, said Denham, noting that the solutions will take time and effort.

"We realized that it was time to talk more than just about Lake Okeechobee and find solutions by getting these organizations to talk," said Mike Valiquette, the Purre chairman who organized the event. "We meet with them to see what money they need to complete projects and change things."