Pet Waste Made Graphic

The Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP), concerned about high fecal coliform levels in a number of Tampa Bay tributaries, is showing residents the extent of potential pollution left by dogs in graphic detail in its effort to reduce the effect of pet waste pollution on water quality.

Many people don’t realize that the average pile of dog waste contains 3 billion fecal coliform bacteria, plus other microorganisms, and can have a significant negative impact on water quality. During a recent pilot project in a small neighborhood park, TBEP used a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) unit to map the locations of dog waste piles found along the park’s pathways. Using the data from the first month, they developed a map displayed on a large poster as a key component of a monthly pet waste information station set up at the park. The outreach project made a significant difference. The monthly mapping data show that the number of dog waste piles is down by 48 percent in the park since the education project began, and down by 20 percent along the greenway leading to the park. The installation of new clean-up bag distribution stations has also played a key role in the reduction.

Nonpoint Source News Notes, December 2007 http://www.epa.gov/owow/info/NewsNotes/issue83/83issue.pdf