Politics & Government
Mosquito Spraying Coming to Whitemarsh, Springfield after Human West Nile Case
State and county authorities to conduct spraying on Thursday.
After a 64-year-old Lafayette Hill woman became the first Montgomery County resident to this year, state and county authorities are acting to spray select areas of Whitemarsh and Springfield townships in order to control the mosquito population.
The spraying will be conducted by the Montgomery County Health Department and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and is scheduled for Thursday, Sep. 13 from 7:30-11:30 p.m. An alternate date has been set for the following Monday.
According to a release from the county, the MCHD will spray on all residential streets within the following boundaries: Flourtown Road, Butler Pike, Cedar Grove Road, and Joshua Road.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Whitemarshfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The PADEP will conduct its spraying within the following boundaries: Flourtown Road, Joshua Road, Thomas Road, Germantown Pike, Church Road, Harts Lane, and Pear Tree and Sugar Maple Lanes.
These areas were selected after mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus were found during routine sampling, the MCHD said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all residents in areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis, a condition that can cause inflammation in the brain.
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Whitemarshfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The products used in the spraying are designed to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations, have a very low toxicity profile to mammals and are safe for the environment, a release from the DEP said. The spraying will be performed by a truck-mounted Ultra Low Volume (ULV) sprayer.
In addition, the MCHD says it will work with appropriate agencies to identify, eliminate, or treat with larvacide, areas where mosquitoes are breeding. Residents may contact the Health Department at 610-278-5117 if they are concerned about an area of standing water that may be a breeding area.
However, the adult mosquito control program will only be used in limited situations to reduce large numbers of adult mosquitoes, the release said.
For further information about the products being used, visit the EPA website at
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/
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