Article Presented By Pickaway Ross CTC…
(Chillicothe) – The Ross County Health District’s (RCHD) Environmental Division was awarded $25,000 from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s (OEPA) Mosquito Control Grant (MCG). Funding will last from May 2024 to April 2025.
$1,060,682 was awarded to 58 health departments and municipalities across 47 Ohio counties. $188,368 of the funds are dedicated specifically for the removal of scrap tires, a notorious breeding ground for mosquito larvae.
The Ohio EPA’s MCG program, a collaborative effort between the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Health, was developed to help local governments monitor and reduce the potential for outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses such as West Nile virus, La Crosse Encephalitis, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Ross County’s grant money will target breeding source reduction, community outreach, larval control, and mosquito trapping. RCHD’s 2024 Tire Drive, an initiative to reduce mosquito breeding sources, will be held this year Oct. 19, 2024, at the Ross County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
RCHD Environmental Health Director Kelly Spindler asserts, “You can help prevent mosquito bites by being diligent to rid your yard of mosquito breeding sites. Eliminate areas that can hold stagnant water where mosquitos can lay eggs by removing or turning over empty containers or pots and by turning over wheelbarrows and kiddie pools when not in use. Emptying birdbaths once a week, keeping gutters clean and removing old tires can also help tremendously in reducing mosquito breeding sites.”
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