Tampa battles Zika by targeting mosquito breeding spots

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They're ugly to look at, but neglected pools are also a health risk.  They're the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos.

To combat the mosquito population, the City of Tampa has purchased 3,600 mosquito dunks to treat abandoned pools, retention ponds and other areas with standing water in public spaces and on abandoned properties.

The dunks, which city leaders say are not harmful to people or animals, kill off mosquito larvae for 30 days. They can be found at just about any hardware or home improvement store.

But it's not just abandoned properties or large pools of water that are problematic.

"Each individual home owner needs to do their part. You could have a pot in your backyard with a dead plant in it and only [a tiny amount of] standing water and that's it. That's all it takes," said Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

City code enforcers are asking for your help reporting problem areas.  If you have concerns about standing water or an abandoned property near your home, you're asked to give them a call at 813-274-5545.