Eyesore Next Door Update: green mosquito pool gets drained

CREATED Jul. 25, 2011

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  • When we first met Benedeane White a month ago, she was armed with a can of bug spray and fighting a losing battle. A green pool that had become a mosquito breeding ground. Today, her eyesore next door is an eyesore no more. Video by ktnv.com

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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- When we first met Benedeane White a month ago, she was armed with a can of bug spray and fighting a losing battle.

"Tiny little baby mosquitoes. They were just everywhere," said White at the time.

She couldn't figure out where those mosquitoes were coming from until she peered over her next door neighbors wall.

That's when she spotted it: a pool half empty and filled with green muck. It had become a mosquito breeding ground.

With a foreclosure notice on the door and no homeowner in sight, White didn't know where to turn so she called Action News.

"Usually Channel 13 gets action, so I'm looking for action," said White.

After our initial story aired, Clark County Code Enforcement came out to this home to check out the problem.

"When the lady arrived the gate was still locked and because she couldn't quite see around to the pool, she wasn't allowed to elevate herself," says White. "That's what I was told. She wasn't allowed to elevate herself so it was back on my shoulders."

If county code enforcement can't see the problem, they can't fix the problem.

That's when White's homeowners association, Benchmark, stepped in. They broke the lock on the gate, entered the backyard, and drained the pool. A lien was then placed on the property for the cleanup costs.

"I'm happy there's no mosquitoes anymore. I mean, I wish there was someone living here and enjoying this beautiful pool, but since there's not I can live without the mosquitoes as well," says White.

One month after our initial report, this eyesore next door is an eyesore no more.

"I'm happy with the HOA and I'm happy with Channel 13," says White.

If you have a green pool in your neighborhood, here is what you need to know:

  • First, notify Clark County Code Enforcement and make them aware of the problem. They can send an investigator to the home and notify the homeowner. If that doesn't work, the county can go to a judge and be granted access to the home to cleanup the pool.
  • If you have an HOA, notify them. They don't have to follow the same rules as the county and may get quicker action.
  • The local plumbers union has a program to help drain these pools for free if they are creating a safety hazard. Contact Lou Salazar with the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 525. His number is 994-2235.

If all else fails, contact Action News. Our email is 13investigates@ktnv.com.