East Watertown residents have seen a large increase in the number of rats and rodents in their area recently, and town officials will hold a public meeting to hear from residents and talk about solutions.
East End Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she began hearing from residents about rodent problems in May, and they have gotten worse since then.
In a letter to the Watertown Health Department, Kounelis said she has heard from residents who have spent hundreds of dollars trying to deal with the infestation, and some residents say they are considering whether to move because the problem is so bad.
Some of the streets impacted include Arlington Street, Dewey Street, Templeton Parkway, Salisbury Road, Prentiss Street and Belmont Street.
The problem may have been caused by road construction on Belmont Street. Kounelis noted that a few years ago residents of Kondazian and Crawford streets had rodent problems when there was a construction project in that area.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, town officials will hold a meeting on rodent control and prevention at 6:30 p.m. at the Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington St., Watertown. Representatives from the Health Department and others will be at the meeting.
The agenda includes time for residents to share their experiences, efforts that have been taken to control rodents and next steps, and information about the behavior and habits of rodents. The meeting is open to the public.