The need for collaboration among government agencies to reduce mosquito production in mandated stormwater treatment structures.
Efforts to improve water quality increasingly rely on structural stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to remove pollutants from urban runoff. These structures can unintentionally produce mosquitoes and may play a role in the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. A questionnaire was distributed to over 300 stormwater and mosquito control agencies in the United States to assess the prevalence of BMPs and associated mosquito production, identify current measures to control mosquitoes within BMPs, and elucidate the extent of collaboration between these agencies. Responses suggest that agencies often lack basic information relevant to minimizing mosquitoes in BMPs, such as the number of structures within an agency's jurisdiction and the frequency of their maintenance, and that greater interagency collaboration could improve control efforts. Approximately 40% of agencies reported regular collaboration to minimize mosquito production in BMPs; however, barriers to such collaborative work included confusion over roles and responsibilities and a lack of interest. The rapid increase of BMPs in urban environments resulting from increasingly stringent water-quality regulations provides justification for increased collaboration between stormwater and mosquito control sectors of government to aid and strengthen public health efforts.
Harbison
Justin E
JE
Vector-Borne Disease Section, Center for Infectious Diseases, California Department of Public Health, 2151 Convention Center Way, Suite 218B, Ontario, CA 91764, USA.
Metzger
Marco E
ME
Neumann
Charlotte G
CG
Galal
Osman
O
Hu
Renjie
R
Kramer
Vicki L
VL
D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003625:Data Collection; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid