Mayor Bowser led a community rat walk in the Dupont Circle neighborhood to discuss concerns regarding rat abatement. The event served to highlight District rodent control efforts, including the Rodent Abatement Predictive Analysis project conducted by The Lab @ DC.
Washington, DC has seen an increase in rodent reports over recent years, which officials believe is a result of warmer winters. Last year, 311 requests for rodent abatement rose 65 percent, increasing from 2,300 requests in 2015 to more than 3,500 in 2016.
Mayor Bowser stated that the administration is being innovative, proactive, and strategic in its approach to the issue. To meet the challenge, the District is using better analytics, smart technology, and broader community outreach.
Through The Lab @ DC’s Rodent Abatement Predictive Analysis project, the District aims to develop a predictive model using data from the 311 system to identify likely infestation locations. This model would allow the Department of Health to proactively inspect and treat areas before infestations worsen, rather than only responding to resident reports.
The District is implementing several technological and strategic solutions to manage waste and rodents. The Department of Health, Department of Public Works, Office of Unified Communications, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, and the Department of Small and Local Business Development are collaborating on these efforts.
In June, the Department of Small and Local Business Development launched the Commercial Waste Compactor Grant, providing up to $13,500 for qualified DC businesses to purchase or lease rodent-proof compactors. Additionally, the city has deployed 25 solar trash cans and 400 smart litter bins in rat hotspots. These smart bins use sensors to monitor waste levels and weight in real time, relaying data to a web service to help the Department of Public Works optimize pickup routes.
The Department of Health plans to expand its rodent control staff in 2018, doubling the number of pest controllers and code enforcers. The department also plans to pursue new abatement strategies, including one involving rat sterilization and another using dry ice to asphyxiate rats in burrows.
Residents are encouraged to assist in abatement efforts by storing garbage in tight-fitting metal or heavy plastic containers, placing trash outside shortly before pickup, and removing weeds or debris where rats might hide. Residents can also report rodent issues by calling or texting 311.
