Keep Our Creeks Bacteria-Free!
Stormwater is not treated like your home’s wastewater, so any pollutants that go down the storm drain can harm our streams and rivers. Did you know that Buffalo Bayou is classified as having “impaired” water quality by the Environmental Protection Agency because of high levels of bacteria? Our District’s drainage system flows directly into the detention lakes that are all around our neighborhoods, then it travels through Long Point Slough and then to Buffalo Bayou.
Bacteria in stormwater is pollution. Bacteria affects the water quality and health of the natural waterways and detention lakes right in our backyards. You can help to keep harmful disease-causing bacteria out of our water by protecting the quality of stormwater at your home, business, and in our parks.
YOU CAN HELP! Pick up your pet’s waste from your yard, while on walks, and in shared public spaces. Your dog’s waste contains millions of E. coli and other bacteria and pathogens. When it rains, that bacteria is “washed” from your yard or other areas INTO the storm sewer and eventually into Buffalo Bayou. YUCK!
Some helpful tips to protect stormwater from bacteria pollution:
- Clean up after your dog regularly.
- Clean up pet waste from your yard, especially before it is going to rain.
- Throw pet waste in the garbage inside a sealed bag or flush it down the toilet.
- Buy a “pooper scooper” to make the job easier.
- Hire a collection service to do the dirty work for you.
By cleaning up after your pet, you can keep your home and our neighborhoods looking and smelling better AND keep our lakes and creeks bacteria-free!
Photo Source: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/files/cwc_petwaste_poster.pdf
Adapted from materials prepared by the Stormwater Joint Task Force and retrieved from www.cleanwaterways.org
