The Prague Water Supply and Sewerage Company (PVK) has started a comprehensive rat extermination program in selected areas of the Czech Republic’s capital city, using 13.5 tonnes of bait to control the population. According to PVK, there are several million rats living in the city’s sewer system. The extermination program started at the beginning of April in Nové Město, Rašínovo nábřeží, around Petřín, Pražačka, and at Jarov. The company will extend the program to other areas approved by the municipality and individual city districts later.

Exterminators will concentrate on inspecting areas where rats are most commonly found in mid-May and the end of October. The Prague hygiene station and environmental departments of city districts will choose these locations. The bait consists of scrap, corn, and chocolate, suitable for a humid environment, and does not harm pets.

Apart from the sewer network, rats are frequently seen on the surface near trash cans and untreated greenery full of waste. Construction work also drives them out of the underground, while places inhabited by homeless people are another breeding ground.

In addition to rat extermination, PVK also protects the sewer network from damage and accidents. The sewer network is 3,791 km long, and the length of sewer connections is 1,025 km. Employees checked 142 km of the sewer network and reviewed more than 2,000 inlet shafts and objects in 2021. During the inspections, the company found 28 network accidents and developed 72 proposals for eliminating defects.

Rats can spread disease and damage infrastructure, so managing their population is critical. Rat extermination programs are common in cities around the world, and Prague’s program will help ensure the health and safety of its residents while protecting the sewer system from damage.

Article by Prague Forum