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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Westchester County Department of Health will begin its annual West Nile Virus prevention program on Monday by checking catch basins throughout the county for standing water and applying larvicide as needed.
The department's goal is to eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes that can carry the virus.
Teams will begin in New Rochelle, Yonkers, and Mount Vernon evaluating and treating catch basins on county and municipal roads over the next few months, the department said.
Residents are advised to get rid of standing water from around their properties especially after it rains.
Large areas of standing water on public property that cannot easily be removed should be reported to the Health Department at (914) 813-5000.
The department advises residents to do the following in order to prevent sites where mosquitoes breed near their homes.
• Remove unneeded tires, cans, buckets, drums, wheelbarrows and bottles from outdoor property.
• Cover trash containers to keep rain out.
• Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
• Clean roof gutters and remove standing water from flat roofs.
• Remove standing water from basements.
• Place a couple of capfuls of household bleach in a basement sump-pump pit if it has standing water.
• Keep drains, culverts and streams clean of weeds and trash so that water can drain properly.
• Make sure stored boat covers are completely drained and store small boats upside down.
• Drain water in birdbaths, plant pots and drip trays twice a week.
• Trim shrubs to eliminate hiding places for adult mosquitoes.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor spas and hot tubs. Be sure rainwater does not collect on their covers, and disinfect them with bleach to kill mosquito larvae and eggs.
• Use sand or concrete to fill in hollow tree stumps and rot holes that hold water.
• Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.
For more information about West Nile Virus, go to www.westchestergov.com/health.
Comments (1)
Justin maybe someone should ask Rye City Mayor Douglas French about the giant mosquito generating machine he now protects year after year after year out on Rye’s Hen Island in Milton Harbor.
Over 33,000 gallons of stagnant rainwater are stored just a few hundred yards from Milton Point and Greenhaven in open containers just like those shown here –
http://www.healtheharbor.com/gallery/pages/water/water1.html
Clouds of mosquitoes plague our homes from Hen Island every year.
The County protects Hen Island from health code and West Nile enforcement. Just call Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett and ask him why. He was Rye’s city attorney for years. And now he’s sitting right down the hall from Rob Astorino….