In 2023, Waltham Officials Aim To Fix Rodent Problem

WALTHAM, MA — The rats are running rampant in parts of Waltham, according to a new resolution from the Economic and Community Development Committee. But city officials are teaming up to do something about it.

At the most recent Economic and Community Development Committee meeting, members presented a resolution that made it official that the city would partner with the health department to find new ways to control the rat problem without using rodenticides, which have had adverse effects on pets and birds.

According to the committee, the southside of Waltham is facing a major rodent problem, and officials say that it's clear that continuing development and mixed-use zoning in the area is a factor.

But that's not all.

According to a resolution, the issue can be tied to several factors. They include:

• Aging infrastructure
• Increased number of restaurants and other food establishments
• Rapid development
• Improper storage of trash

So what are officials planning for a fix?

Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris said she'd like the committee to come up with a funding plan that would put some steps into action in 2023.

"I've been receiving, pretty consistently, on an increase over the last six months, an influx of pictures of dead rats," she said.

These rats, she said, have been found near playgrounds and walking paths as well as snow banks and near the river in Ward 8.

She added that residents have concerns about what the city currently uses to try and manage the rat population.

Rodenticides have been an effective tool in the past for Waltham in managing the rat problem, but it's also been an issue for pets and birds in the area, officials said. Rats poisoned by the current treatment have also been found dead around the city, which can pose its own problems, both for health and aesthetic reasons.

In trying to fix the rat problem, officials said they would look into and utilize alternative control methods for rats and put an emphasis on local trash regulation enforcement.

Assistant Health Director Thomas Creonte said rats are more prevalent where food is more readily available. In this case, the rats are chasing trash, which he said unfortunately happens to be mainly on the southside.

Creonte recommended that the city move away from allowing residents to place trash bags on the curb, which he said makes it much easier for rats to find the trash and food they're looking for. The city, he acknowledged, has an ordinance that requires residents to use a trash can, but bags placed on curbs continue to be picked up.

At the end of the meeting, the item was tabled, but it seems clear that city officials plan to work towards a solution.

The resolution credited the health department with doing a "good job with the management tools they have." Now, officials are going to dedicate time and resources to managing the city's rat population once and for all.

Watch the full meeting here: