Gilbert drops residential mosquito-fogging program

Gilbert residential neighborhoods will have to do without the twice-weekly nighttime fogging to prevent the spread of West Nile virus.

The residential fogging operation, a town fixture for years, is victim of budget cuts for the current municipal fiscal year.

However, Gilbert and Maricopa County officials say neighborhoods still will be protected through county fogging operations.

Gilbert leaders dropped residential fogging during a six-month tussle over the town's municipal budget. A new contract for this fiscal year was approved recently, calling for $68,300. Dropping residential fogging saved the town an estimated $94,500.

Initially, the town's fogging program, which is intended to kill mosquitoes so they cannot spread West Nile virus, was to be dumped altogether. However, officials reconsidered after learning that town parks are hotbeds for mosquito breeding.

Now, municipal parks and water recharge facilities, otherwise known as Gilbert's three riparian habitats, will be fogged and receive mosquito-prevention treatments from a contractor overnight, twice a week between April and October.

In addition, two parkway improvement districts, which are subdivision common areas that Gilbert maintains in exchange for taxes, will receive treatments.

There are options for the more than 150 subdivisions and unnamed areas within the town suddenly without regular fogging.

"It's not that neighborhoods don't have anybody taking care of them anymore," town spokesman Garin Groff said, noting the county will handle the spraying alone now.

County spokesman Johnny Diloné said the county's mosquito-prevention efforts are different than Gilbert's, in that the county does not venture out weekly to fog. Rather, officials monitor mosquito traps for activity all around the Valley, including Gilbert, and will fog in neighborhoods when necessary, he said.

"Our focus is the surveillance and treatment," Diloné said. "It's trying to be more preventive, to eliminate any potential breeding sites."

Diloné said residents need to help efforts as well by getting rid of standing water on their property and taking other precautions.

West Nile virus is transmitted through bites from infected mosquitoes. The virus can lead to flu-like symptoms and, in some cases, severe illness featuring symptoms such as vision loss, convulsions or paralysis, officials say.

Info: 602-506-0700 or www.maricopa.gov/wnv.