‘Kill The Potomac Rats’ Saga Continues

The “Kill the Potomac Rats” campaign has identified new suspects in its war against the ravenous rodents rambling in back alleys between 34th and 37th Streets. Could the fault lie with Georgetown University students and housing managers?

Roberto Coquis thinks so, and posted a note on the Georgetown forum: “University students on many occasions, either don’t put their garbage in the can or fill the cans where the tops don’t shut and the University does not always come to empty the cans, even when they are informed. Unfortunately, the majority of the Georgetown students’ garbage is food, and with easy access, a great food source has been created for the rats.”

But Cory Peterson, director of the university’s Office of Neighborhood Life, is on the case. He puts partial blame on adjacent vacant properties, writing: “… we’ve been working closely with our contract exterminator, Terminex, to address the rat issue in the alley. Unfortunately, one of the challenges we have run into is there are a couple of vacant properties that have allowed their backyard areas adjoining the alley to become overrun with rat burrows.”

The case narrows, however. During commencement week, pickup days were missed, admits Peterson.

Meanwhile, the informal Chipotle Watch coffee group is eager to see if the M Street restaurant will install a cement base for its back-alley bins or build an enclosed — and rat-proof — cement structure.