Sudbury Board of Health hears reduced triple E forecast for summer

SUDBURY -- July 2, 2025, Sudbury Board of Health hears reduced triple E forecast but flags early West Nile activity. Doug Bidlack of East Middlesex Mosquito Control told the board the regional Culiseta melanura population is running at 26 percent of its four-year average and Coquillettidia perturbans at 54 percent, both depressed by last year's drought; Sudbury's own melanura counts are about 19 percent of last year's. Operations supervisor Brian Farlas reported a successful April 22-23 helicopter BTI application, completion of larviciding at 1,500 catch basins, and two truck sprays of Zenivex E4 with another scheduled. Bidlack said West Nile "could be a problem this year" after an unusually early positive in Watertown. Health Director Vivian Zeng also flagged "really concerning" septic-site violations including a test pit dug on the wrong property and four open 10-foot holes near unattended toddlers. The board approved March 21 and May 21 minutes and set Aug. 6 as the tentative next meeting.