The city of Willmar Public Works Department completed spraying for mosquitoes Wednesday night, one day sooner than the three-night spraying effort that had been announced earlier in the week, according to Scott Ledeboer, Public Works foreman.
Officials had announced on Tuesday that the city would be sprayed the evenings of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but Ledeboer said Thursday that spraying was completed Wednesday night.
"We completed the town so we will not be spraying tonight,'' Ledeboer said, referring to Thursday night.
As of right now, Ledeboer said, the city would probably plan on spraying Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings next week.
The mosquito outbreak seemed to occur last week in the southern part of the state. In the Willmar area, the date seemed to be June 28.
ADVERTISEMENT
"That's when they just exploded,'' he said.
Ledeboer said the city continues to use Anvil 2+2 ULV, a pesticide manufactured by Clarke International of Roselle, Ill., to control mosquitoes, midges and black flies.
This summer's spraying program probably began a little later than normal due to a change in the permitting process.
"We had some issues this year with the permitting,'' he said.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency passed down to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency tighter controls on discharge of pesticides. Ledeboer said MPCA changed the requirements and now requires a notice of intent.
Ledeboer said the first possible time to apply for the permit was May 1. If the application date had been earlier, spraying could possibly have started earlier, he said.
MPCA also requires the city to put together a pesticide discharge management plan. The plan includes a surveillance program to monitor levels of mosquito larvae in wet areas and adult mosquitoes.
Ledeboer said the city is still working on the plan but MPCA gave the city approval to start spraying before fully submitting the plan.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Anytime you change the way you've done things and paperwork, it's a process,'' he said.
