WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS
Prevent Pollution on Love Your Pet Day (and Everyday)
As San Diegans, we love our pets and waterways! However, pet waste left on the ground can harm our water quality and aquatic life. Aside from being smelly, unsightly, and messy, bacteria from pet waste is a significant source of water pollution and can cause surfers (and swimmers) to get sick. Since anything that flows into the storm drain system can go untreated into our waterways, if a water source (such as rain or lawn watering) comes into contact with pet waste, the runoff can carry bacteria untreated into our creeks, rivers, and ocean.
According to Project Clean Water, pet owners in San Diego County have over 600,000 dogs and it’s estimated that all their poop combined adds up to about 136 million pounds per year. The good news is that pet waste pollution can be easily prevented through simple actions and involvement on our part! And what better way to show our commitment to our pets - and our waterways - than on National Love Your Pets Day (February 20th) by taking these actions to keep your pets and our waterways safe, healthy, and clean!
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Bag & Dispose
The single most important thing you can do to prevent pet waste from polluting our waters is to pick it up and dispose of it properly. Whether at home, exploring our water resources, or on walks, use a plastic bag to bag waste, tie it shut, and throw it in a closed trash can or designated pet waste container. While out, be sure to always carry extra bags with you and on your property, clean up pet waste at least weekly.
In unincorporated areas or rural properties, it may feel like pet waste can be ignored or even composted. However, pet waste does not simply decompose nor is it a fertilizer. In addition to containing disease-causing bacteria, when waste ends up in water bodies it releases nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) that trigger growth of algae which can make our local waters unswimmable and unfishable. Key tips for rural properties to prevent pet waste from reaching our waterways include picking up waste in areas close to water sources such as creeks, streams, or lakes. Also, it’s important to regularly clean areas on a slope to prevent waste from being carried downward by runoff and to pick up waste in bare areas where nothing is growing. On rural properties as an alternative to bagging pet waste, you can dig a hole and bury it deeply to keep it away from vegetable gardens, waterways, and wellheads. But, make sure to change the location of the hole frequently.
Support Local Pet Waste Campaigns
There are tremendous local pet waste pollution prevention and improved water quality campaigns to support. Project Clean Water’s Keep San Diego Doody Free and the Port of San Diego’s Scoop the Poop campaigns promote cleaner waters and communities. Watch the Scoop the Poop video to learn more.
Involve Our Youth in San Diego County’s Poo Points Program
The Poo Points Program is an award-winning take-home activity-based program where young people act as primary messengers in educating friends and family about the impact of dog waste on the water quality of local creeks, lakes, and the ocean. Watch an overview of the program here.
Visit our Watershed Protection Program page and sign up for our Residential Stormwater Bulletins for more ways to keep our communities and waterways safe, healthy, and clean!
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