RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP

Non-point source (NPS) pollution is contamination that reaches our creeks from everyday activities such as fertilizing the lawn, walking pets, changing motor oil and littering. With each rainfall, pollutants generated by these activities are washed from streets and lawns into the storm drains that flow to our creeks. You can help prevent NPS pollution.

Pet Waste

As a pet owner you can establish habits that will help keep our creeks free of pollutants. Animal wastes contain bacteria, viruses and nutrients. These constituents will lower water quality in our creeks. Walk you pets in grassy areas, parks or undeveloped areas. Take a plastic bag or pooper scooper along on your walk and pick up your pet’s waste. What should you do with the waste you pick up? You may flush it down the toilet, bury it in the yard (don’t add it to your compost pile) or put it in the trash. Pollutants from improper disposal of pet waste may wash into the creeks through the storm drainage system.

Flea Dip Disposal

Do not pour flea dip solutions on the driveways or into the street. Liquid on hard surfaces will likely enter the storm drainage system and flow to the nearby creek. Flea dips usually contain an insecticide that can harm aquatic life.

If you are applying an insecticide to your lawn for flea control, be sure that no rain is forecast for the next several days. Rain can wash the insecticide off your lawn and into the storm drainage system.

Solutions that contain pyrethrins as the active ingredient may be disposed of in the sanitary sewer, flushing with plenty of water. Dipping solutions containing organo-phosphate chemicals such as dursban, diazinon or malathion cannot be disposed of in the sanitary sewer. The recommended disposal method for these solutions, at this time, is land application.