Residents who paid a premium for their water view are upset about the condition of the basin where they live in The Villages.
Barry Smith of the Village of Palo Alto bought his home at El Largo Lago in February. The sales brochure which helped entice him to buy a home at that location offered an idyllic picture of life on the water.
But the reality has turned into an ugly nightmare.
The pond has been covered with algae for months.
“We paid a lot of money for that house and that view,” Smith said. “It’s starting to smell. It’s disgusting.”
He and his neighbors spoke out this past week before the Community Development District 1 and 2 boards of supervisors at Savannah Center. The body of water straddles CDDs 1 and 2.
Villager John West has lived on El Largo Lago for more than 20 years.
“It looks like a swamp. It used to be beautiful. The maintenance of the lake has gone to pot,” West said.
Longtime resident Bernie O’Donnell agreed.
“It has looked beautiful for most of the 25 years that I have lived here. Something happened. The question is, what happened to create the problem?” O’Donnell asked.
He pointed the finger of blame at the pond maintenance contractor and suggested the contractor is in over his head.
Cleaning up the basin has been a challenge. The water is very hot at this time of year and fertilizer from nearby homes is running into the pond, fueling the growth of algae.
District Property Management has tried numerous solutions. Last year, District Property Management decided to bring in carp to use the fish to munch away at the unwanted vegetation. The carp haven’t made a dent yet.
There are limits on the amount of chemicals that can be used in the body of water. There are chemical treatments planned on Aug. 14 and 28.
The District is also looking at bringing in a new pond maintenance contractor.