To The Editor

The Florida Governmental Utility Authority has demonstrated its inability to adequately address and correct matters as they relate to water, sewer availability, pressure, quality, hydrants, mains and house hookups and rates in Golden Gate and Lehigh Acres. Thus, Lee County said it might want to buy the faltering FGUA, in reaction to numerous consumer complaints, and ostensibly implying (but not officially stating) that it can do a better job.

In Collier County, commissioners refuse to seat a member on the FGUA board to represent the Golden Gate utility customers. I wonder why.

We, in Lehigh Acres and Golden Gate, are the primary pawns, having ringside seats for this contest, and all of us long for the match to begin in earnest. However, it appears that the FGUA is reluctant to adhere to the rules of engagement. In fact, the only sparring we’ve seen so far has been disparagingly outside the ropes.

Where is the accountability of the FGUA? Remember FGUA is not overseen by the Public Service Commission.

All the contestants agree that FGUA has failed on several levels of service. Thus, the question is which contender is most likely to satisfy, once and for all, the whole of our water and sewer needs in Lehigh Acres and Golden Gate. And, that is not to say that other top-rated companies can’t throw their hats in the ring.

After all, isn’t the spirit of competition the bulwark of the American way?

Now FGUA has purchased Aloha Utilities in Pasco County for $90.5 million plus raised the rates on all the ratepayers in one day; this is a fox in the hen house story. FGUA will bond out the Aloha Utilities until the people affected start screaming they cannot afford the water and sewer bills just as it’s happening in Golden Gate and Lehigh Acres.

On a more serious side, our cynicism is not intended to diminish in the least the gravity of the sad state of our water and sewer systems in Lehigh Acres, Golden Gate and the Aloha Utilities. Our group seeks to have a clean, clear, informative and fair airing from all sides.

While our commissioners in all counties have remained virtually silent on these issues, we nonetheless, choose to refrain at this time from raising our voices an octave or two. Our objectives are rousingly clear and elegantly simple: to get the best and most efficient water and sewer service for our community at a fair cost.

In the meantime, we remain squirming impatiently in our seats at ringside; waiting to hear what FGUA has does next to its rate payers in Lehigh Acres, Golden Gate and in Pasco County.

Remember this – when is enough, enough, FGUA?

Robert Anderson

President

Lehigh Acres Watchdog Inc.