Jason Barrett was one of a handful of Lehigh Acres residents who made comments before the Florida Government Utility Authority’s board when it declared a proposed six percent increase in fees for water and sewer rates in Lehigh Acres. The rates are to take effect Oct. 1. The meeting was held at the East County Regional Library on June 18.

But Barrett was there to protest the quality of water that he receives from FGUA telling board members that he can’t drink it and buys water and that it is ruining anything it touches at his home in a neighborhood along SR82 just outside Lehigh.

Officials from Mirror Lakes Golf Club also made comments over a bill they say they do not owe. A speaker from the Lehigh Resort Club argued before the board that they were glad to pay what was included in a contract with FGUA.

“We don’t know now what we owe,” she said.

Barrett was told that the plant that serves his neighborhood will be checked out for its hard water qualities. Barrett later called the Lee County Health Department to check his water.

“They told me it was very, very high,” Barrett said. “Way above normal.”

“The hard water leaves a gritty surface on my dishes, my dishwater and anything it touches. I won’t drink that water and I am being forced to buy bottled water to drink. And I’m paying you (FGUS) people for this,” he said.

“Why are we in our neighborhood paying the same price as others do here in Lehigh when our water is of poor quality. I don’t want excuses. I want answers,” he said.

“We’re going to try to work with Mr. Barrett,” a member of the board said. Robert Sheets, who heads the board asked that the matter be looked into as he did with the Mirror Lakes and Lehigh Resort Club complaints about what they owe the utility.

David Lindsay, general manager of the East County Water Control District, told board members that there are overflows at the Homestead and Leeland Heights lift stations and that the overflow is going into the canals which go to the river.

“It’s a big problem. The lift station need repairs,” he said.

He said he had discussed the problem with Jim Lavender, Lee County’s representative on the FGUA Board.

“When it is repaired, we can raise water in our canals for retention,” he said.

Sheets asked the staff if that particular lift station was in permitting process and was told it was.

Michael Murphy, another Lehigh resident, owns one of the 166 properties that will have to hook up to the sewer system since it runs down his street. He said he had two septic tank systems that worked well and that the cost of paying for installation of pipes to go under the street and be installed 250 feet to his home adds extra expenses to him.

He said he didn’t think it was fair to have to pay for the cost of all of the installation to the system since his house is on the other side of the street than the sewer lines are located.

He also asked if foreclosed homes were being included in the 166 sites and who would pay for those installations. He was told they would be charged to the banks holding them.

Paul Schrader of David Ave. said he had three septic tanks for his 7-bathroom house. He said he had met with the health department of Lee County and was told his septic tanks worked well and that the tanks probably produced more pure water runoff than FGUA’s systems. Comments were made during a period when the public was allowed to speak before the board.

Sheets said FGUA is being required by state law to require people who live on streets where the sewer lines run to hook up to them. Sheets said the order to hook up was put off until the completion of the Lehigh Comprehensive Plan. FGUA says it has offered plans for people to pay the cost of the construction of hook-ups over a span of years.

By law, rate hearings must be held and one is scheduled in August and a final hearing will be held on Sept. 17 before the rates hikes begin.

Last October, FGUA raised rates 7.5 percent and at that time said another increase would likely be necessary in 2009.