|
Green Pools and Chlorine Tablet Shortage
With summer upon us you may be planning to spend your time outdoors in or around the swimming pool.
With proper maintenance, a pool provides a fun way to keep cool. Unfortunately, if it is not properly maintained, you may be greeted by an itchy annoyance that can not only ruin your plans, but also can be dangerous: mosquitoes! Mosquitoes need water to breed, and swimming pools have the potential to become ideal breeding spots for these pesky critters.
Now is a good time to make sure swimming pools are in good order and not attracting mosquitoes. This applies to all pools: residential, semi-public or public pools. Some things to look for are:
- Is the water clear – can you see to the bottom?
- Is chlorine at the proper level?
- Is the pool pump operating?
Maintaining the recommended level of chlorine is the most important activity in terms of ensuring your pool and hot tub are clean and safe to use. This year there has been a nationwide shortage on chlorine tablets (“Shortage Update: Chlorine Plant Being Rebuilt, Due Spring 2022”).
Check with your local pool supply store or service provider for options if this shortage has affected you.
Regardless of chlorine levels, what you need to do to prevent mosquito breeding is make sure the water pump is working properly, circulating the water.
|
|
|
Even if chlorine levels are low or the pool is “off color” or “green”, the pool will not breed mosquitoes if the pump is allowed to run for several hours each day.
Every year Maricopa County Environmental Services Department (MCESD) receives and responds to complaints about “green pools”. Our Vector Control Specialists contact property owners to ensure that “green pools” are addressed so they don’t become mosquito breeding sources.
If the pump is not working, one option that we can provide – at no charge - is the Gambusia AKA mosquito eating fish. The Gambusia is a tiny fish that has adapted to feed at the water’s surface. Just one female Gambusia can eat several hundred mosquito larvae in a day, and 15 can clean a pool that’s full of mosquito larvae.
|
To confirm availability and to schedule a pick-up during office hours (Monday through Friday - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm) please call us at: (602) 506-0700. Please bring your own container to transport the Gambusia home.
|
Finally, but just as important, do what you can to avoid mosquito bites: apply insect repellent according to label instructions, wear light colored clothing, avoid outdoor activity when mosquitoes are most active, and when possible, wear long pants and sleeves.
If you see mosquitoes, green pools, or suspect there is a mosquito breeding site in your neighborhood, feel free to contact MCESD. You may submit your complaint online or by calling (602) 506-6616.
For more information, visit: FightTheBiteMaricopa.org
|
|
How has COVID-19 impacted your life?
TAKE THE SURVEY, SHARE THE SURVEY
Maricopa County Department of Public Health is seeking to understand how the pandemic has impacted residents and how to support the community in a post-COVID environment. As a valued partner in this effort, we would appreciate your help in this important endeavor.
We have launched the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey which will help guide future community health improvement planning and funding efforts over the next two years to assist in the recovery of COVID-19. Grants will be awarded throughout the county to local governments and community-based organizations to support our communities and address priority areas.
By encouraging your residents, your stakeholders, your community members, your program participants, and/or your family to participate in the survey, you can help us gather the diversity of responses needed to ensure we have wide, inclusive representation of residents within our county. In return, we are committed to sharing the information learned with you so that we may all benefit and can take collective action.
You can help by:
-
Taking the Maricopa County COVID-19 Community Impact Survey. Click here to take the survey which is available in more than 12 languages!
-
Sharing the survey. Please use this post and messaging to share the survey with your employees and networks. You can download social media graphics and printables using our Communication Toolkit. The survey is open to anyone age 12 years and up in Maricopa County—staff, friends, family, community members, professional networks. The broader the survey is spread, the more representative the data will be. The survey will be open through June 30, 2021.
|
You can find all of this information and learn more about our community health improvement planning efforts at MaricopaHealthMatters.org and see our data dashboard which has previous community health needs assessment survey information that may be of use in your work. Please feel free to reach out to hipmc@maricopa.gov with any questions.
|
|
|
|
Bring your professional engineering experience to the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department, and apply to the Civil Engineer position today!
This is an exceptional opportunity to join a team of innovative minds, dedicated to protecting public health and safety.
|
 For details on the position, and to apply, just CLICK HERE!
|
|
|
|
