May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, an illness spread by tick bites that can be easily treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated (and the painless bites often go unnoticed), it can affect the skin, joints, nervous system, heart and eyes. It is currently the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S.
Ticks are most likely to be in woods, tall brush/grass, under leaves and low-growing vegetation, near stone walls or wood piles, shady areas, around bird feeders and outside pet areas. Products containing DEET can reduce risk of bites in high-risk areas.
Websites: www.cdc.gov/lyme, www.lymediseaseassociation.org, www.txlymealliance.org
Summer Landscape Prep: Keep Fertilizer, Pool Water out of Streets, Walkways
As temperatures heat up and “outdoor living” areas and landscapes get prepared for summer, the Health Department wants to remind homeowners/renters to keep our water system’s health in mind when prepping pools and greenery.
Specifically:
- Don’t over-fertilize and over-water lawns, which washes the excess fertilizer (and your money) into our streets and storm drain system, which drain to area creeks; the fertilizer causes algae to build up to unhealthy levels in the creeks. To receive free, customized watering guidelines each week, visit www.watermyyard.org.
- Pool chemicals can also be harmful to our creeks, hurting aquatic life and compromising our water system, which is why the City of Richardson’s code of ordinances specifically prohibits the discharge of pool filter backwash (or any kind of pool drainage) into streets, alleyways or other city right-of-way. Click here for ideas on how to properly discard/drain pool water and use backwash.
