An unforeseen problem has arisen out of the housing crisis, abandoned pools.  These abandoned pools are becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes, especially in states with warmer climates year round like Nevada, Arizona and California. These mosquitoes can sometimes carry harmful diseases like the West Nile Virus.  Already some mosquitoes in Fresno, CA have tested positive for the disease. Health departments nationwide are scrambling to deal with the problem.  Government agencies are doing fly overs in helicopters to try and identify problem pools sometimes referred to as “Green Pools”.  One possible way to deal with the problem is to introduce mosquitofish to the water, but this can be costly, adding to the already strained budgets of local governments.

Some good articles on “Green Pools”:

Foreclosed homes bringing disease to area neighbourhoods

Foreclosure Fallout Spawns Green Pools

Foreclosure pools a mosquito threat