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just 100 feet long, placed across a single waterfront property, “Our quality of life is directly correlated with the health of our
could filter almost a million gallons of water in a day. Think waterways,” says Mayor Dean Tantalis. “With over 160 miles
about the compound effect we could have if we installed these of navigable waterways in Fort Lauderdale, we must work
across even a fraction of the hundreds miles of waterway edge symbiotically with Mother Nature to achieve the purest and
in Greater Fort Lauderdale.” healthiest waters. Living sea walls are an innovative method
to protect our lives and property as well as restore and
So what can we do? nurture the aquatic ecosystem that we so heavily rely on.”
Since our waterways and beaches are the heart of our
beautiful city, Fort Lauderdale needs to be the leader in
restoring and maintaining their strength and vitality.
Many residents live, work and play on these waters and can
think back to a time on how clean and clear they used to be.
“I remember swimming with my friends in the New River when
I was a kid, the water was clear and the Jungle Queen even
threw peanuts at us,” says Fort Lauderdale resident Harry
Rozelle. It may be a far reach to make these waters safe and
swimmable once again, but shouldn’t we at least try? Our
economy and community may depend on it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzee Bailey resides in the Las Olas Isles and is a newly appointed member of the City of Fort Lauderdale
Sustainability Advisory Board. Suzee is also the Founder of Residents for Resilience, a not-for-profit
organization whose main goal is to bring important Fort Lauderdale water-related issues to the forefront of
public awareness. Her love for water-sport activities and a background in journalism and broadcasting has
led to her staunch advocacy for South Florida water quality issues. She shares her love of nature and sports
with her husband Hall of Fame Jockey, Jerry Bailey and their son, Justin, an attorney in Fort Lauderdale.

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