WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS
Easy Rainy Season Pet and Livestock Waste Guide
While we appreciate the much-needed rainy season (October 1st through April 30th) here in California, we also must remember that along with the rainfall comes the potential for water pollution from stormwater runoff. During a rainstorm, runoff can carry litter, fertilizers, pesticides, and other pollutants through our storm drains to our waterways and ocean. This month we are going to focus on pet and livestock waste. Pet waste carries bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can threaten wildlife, contaminate our beaches, and even pose risks to human health. Horse and livestock waste contains nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen that can cause aquatic algae growth and degrade water quality. Thankfully, through proper pet waste disposal, equine best management practices (BMPs), and reusing rainwater, you can prevent these pollutants from harming our local waterways.
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Proper Waste Disposal
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Pet Waste – Pick up after your pet. Carry extra bags when walking your pet, bag the waste, and put it in the trash. In your backyard, clean up pet waste at least weekly and always dispose of bagged pet waste in a trash can or dumpster. Learn more about the myths of dog waste pollution through Project Clean Water’s Keep San Diego Doody Free
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Horse/Livestock Manure – Clean manure from corrals and stalls at least twice weekly. Haul it away for composting or pay a company to pick it up. Manure should only be sent to the landfill if there are no composting options available. The haul away option may be desirable for sites that do not have enough space or other means to compost.
Manure Storage, Composting and Management
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Storage – Cover and berm stockpiles, and keep manure away from drainage sites and paths. Place permanent stockpiles of manure on concrete or asphalt and cover with a permanent structure. If temporary stockpiles are located on soil, rotate them at least once a year.
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Composting – A horse alone can produce an average of 50 pounds of waste daily—that’s 2 tons per year! Not only can manure be composted to enrich any garden or landscape, but it can also protect animal health and reduce the amount of contaminated runoff leaving the horse property. Check out the County’s flyer on Composting and Manure Management for more information on benefits of manure composting and how to compost effectively.
Getting Rain Ready
In addition to managing pet and livestock waste on your property, another way to prevent polluted runoff from reaching our ocean is by capturing rainwater or redirecting it to your gardens or plants. The County’s Waterscape Rebate Program, along with local partnering organizations, make it easy for residents to do this by offering a variety of rain saving and rain barrel/cistern rebates and rain barrels for purchase that encourage residents to divert runoff and capture and reuse rainfall for their gardens. Check out the County’s Rain Barrel Information webpage for more information on the benefits of rain barrels including an installation tutorial video and instructional sheet on how to make your own rain barrel. Maintain your rain barrel/cistern using these tips to place and maintain a rain barrel.
For other ways to prevent stormwater pollution throughout the year, visit our Watershed Protection Program page.
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Find My District
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ONLINE SERVICES
Report Stormwater Pollution
Report observed pollution to the correct jurisdiction.
Citizen Access Portal
Research property information and permits. Apply for some permits online.
GIS Maps
Find property information including zoning designation with our web-based mapping tool.
Watershed Protection Website
sandiegocounty.gov/stormwater
Learn more about available water quality rebates that you could apply to your property!
Project Clean Water efforts are focused on providing a centralized point of access to water quality information and resources for San Diego County Watersheds. Click HERE to visit Project Clean Water’s website.
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