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IN THIS ISSUE

· Help Control the Mosquito Population Near Your Home

· Get Ready for the 2007 Palm Beach Partners Matchmaker Conference and Expo

· What is a Boil Water Order?

· Microchip Your Pet

· Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities

For more information about Palm Beach County’s programs and services, visit us online at www.pbcgov.com. If you have any questions or to provide feedback, you can email us at countenews@pbcgov.com or call (561) 355-2754. To unsubscribe to Count-e-News, click here.

Help Control the Mosquito Population Near Your Home

Summer and early fall are peak breeding periods for mosquitoes. These pesky insects need just a tiny bit of standing water to lay their eggs and produce larvae that will quickly grow into adults. That’s why it is a good idea to do a thorough check around your home for any casual water sources. Here are some tips to control the mosquito population near your home:
• Drain or remove old tires, buckets, drums, jars and cans, plastic bags or any other potential containers around your yard or patio. Don’t forget the birdbath.
• Check clogged gutters and flat roofs that may have poor drainage.
• Cover barrels and trash containers tightly with a lid or with 16-mesh screen.
• Empty plastic wading pools at least once a week. Store them indoors when not in use.
• Store boats covered or upside down.
• Level the ground around your home so water can run off. (Check with your local ordinances before changing the face of your property in any way).
• Fill in holes or depressions near your home that collect water.
• Treat standing water with products containing the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, var. israelensis.
• Fill in tree holes and hollow stumps that hold water.
• Stock your ornamental water garden with mosquito-eating fish (e.g. minnows, goldfish, or guppies).
• Drain and cover the birdbath.
• Repair screening on windows, doors, porches and patios.
 Forget the “zapper.” Electronic bug “zappers” are not effective in controlling biting mosquitoes because these devices do not emit carbon dioxide which actually attracts the insects. (They think it’s a breathing animal, i.e. bloodmeal.) The “zappers”  don’t stop mosquitoes from biting people either. While other bugs are getting zapped, mosquitoes are zeroing in on you.
 Mosquitoes are relatively weak fliers, so placing a large fan on your deck or patio can provide an effective low-tech solution.  For more information, call the Mosquito Control Division of Environmental Resources Management at 967-6480. For more information about Environmental Resources Management, click here:

http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/index.asp

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Get Ready for the 2007 Palm Beach Partners Matchmaker Conference and Expo

The first annual 2007 Palm Beach Partners Matchmaker Conference and Expo will be held on Tuesday, September 18^th from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Small business participants will be offered an informative plenary session, all-day workshops, one-on-one appointments with purchasing agents, on-site agency certification and a formal luncheon with a guest speaker.

More than 400 small businesses will attend and, together with certifying agencies, banks and prime contractors, will lay the framework for future commerce in Palm Beach County.

For on-line registration and to get more detailed conference information, visit http://pbmatchmaker.com for conference highlights, to schedule appointments with purchasing agents and exhibitor and sponsor information for the conference.

For more information about the Office of Small Business Assistance, click here: http://www.pbcgov.com/osba/

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What is a Boil Water Order?

Now that hurricane season is here, you may notice a boil water notice after a storm. What exactly does this mean?

If there is a problem with water pressure, perhaps from a cracked line or a malfunctioning water pump, this may cause backflow which occurs when water gets drawn into the system from an unknown source. This water could be contaminated.

After repair work is done, a boil water notice is issued for 48 hours in case water has been tainted.

If you receive a boil water notice, you should bring water to a rolling boil for one minute to kill any infectious organism.

It is not safe to drink the tap water or even use it to wash your hands or dishes. Also you should not handle food with bare hands.

Boiling water is the best method of making it usable, but if you have no power, bleach can be used instead. Use eight drops (1/8 teaspoon) of unscented household bleach per gallon of water and let it stand for 30 minutes.

If the water is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 teaspoon) of bleach and  let it stand for another 30 minutes. This water will not be toxic, but it may have a chlorine odor and test. Bleached or boiled water can be used as  the final rinse on dishes or for cleaning counters.

Also don’t forge to sanitize the interior of you ice machine, and do not restart it until the boil water notice is lifted.

When the notice is lifted, allow water to run for five minutes at each tap to flush the lines with safe water.

For your safety, if you notice a drop in water pressure for any time after a hurricane, you should follow boil water guidelines.

For more information on the boil water notice, call the Water Utilities Department at 740-4600.

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Microchip Your Pet

Sometimes, dogs and cats stray. An ID tag on your pet’s collar can be helpful, but it doesn’t guarantee a return, especially if the tag falls off or your pet escapes the collar. That’s when a microchip is invaluable. Made of silicon and no larger than a grain of rice, the chip is placed just under the skin between the shoulder blades. An identifying number embedded in the chip can be “read” by a scanner at an animal shelter or vet’s office.  Microchips are designed to last the lifetime of a pet.
 Microchipping is very important.  Only five percent of lost animals nationwide are returned to their owners. The cost of microchipping can range from $30 to $80, but it is money well spent.  At the County’s Animal Care & Control shelter, there is a nominal fee of only $5 for the microchip. 
 Pets should wear identification tags at all times. Tags should include a local contact number as well as a number for a friend or out-of-town relative. Proper identification tags are your pet’s first ticket home if he/she is lost.

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More Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities

• Come explore the touch tank at Okeeheelee Nature Center. Learn about these amazing underwater creatures on September 8^th at 10 a.m. Reservations are required. The event is open to adults and kids ages 7 and older. The park is located at 7715 Forest Hill Boulevard in
  West Palm Beach. Cost is $3 per person. For more information, call (561) 233-1400.
• Westgate Recreation Center needs positive role models to help coach and teach flag football fundamentals. Training is provided. Games will be played on Saturdays. Westgate Recreation Center is located at 3692 Oswego Avenue in West Palm Beach. For more information, call Carlos Morales at 694-5455.
• Learn more about Jupiter’s first orange grove on a guided tour through the groves of Riverbend Park. The event will be held on Saturday, September 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. Riverbend Park is located at 9060 Indiantown Road in Jupiter. For more information, call (561) 966-6600

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