FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chad Denney, Lee County Utilities
              (239) 694-4038

LEE COUNTY UTILITIES CHANGE OF DISINFECTION

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 3, 2004) - Starting on November 8, 2004, Lee County Utilities (LCU) will be receiving water from the City of Cape Coral. The City of Cape Coral uses free chlorine to disinfect their water, which is different from LCU, which uses chloramines.

Due to an abnormal hurricane season, the LCU North Lee County Water Treatment Plant time schedule has been delayed. Until this project is complete, LCU will be interconnecting with the City of Cape Coral. This will provide LCU with additional flexibility to ensure adequate potable water to LCU customers.

Customers may notice a change in taste, odor and color of the water. The change is temporary and harmless. However, some customers should take special precautions. Those customers are:

Anyone using a kidney dialysis machine at home should contact the equipment supplier so proper filtering equipment may be installed.

Owners of tropical fish or other aquatic animals should contact a tropical fish store for ways to pre-treat water used to replenish the tanks.

Approximately 2,003 metered residences and business will be affected by this disinfection process change.

AREA AFFECTED: Anyone in the following areas:

The north side of Hancock Bridge Pkwy between Orange Grove Blvd and 24th St, Orange Grove Blvd between Hancock Bridge Pkwy and Pondella Rd, Pondella Rd between Betmar Ave and Del Pine Dr. This will include all of the side streets that run into these main streets.

Lee County Utilities will notify the public once the interconnect with the City of Cape Coral has been closed and the use of chloramines has resumed.

For questions or concerns, please call 694-4038.