What really stinks about Dog Waste.

What really stinks about Dog Waste

We all have had that unfortunate experience in our yard or hiking in the woods when our shoes discover a forgotten pile of dog waste. 

But did you know these shoe-sticking hazards can end up in your drinking water? If you don't want it on your shoes, you definitely don’t want it coming out of your tap!!

Dog waste left in our yards, forest areas, and parks can have many adverse effects on the environment. It’s full of harmful bacteria and excess nutrients. Besides being a neighborhood nuisance, dog waste can make people sick, especially children who are more likely to come into contact with it while playing. Dog waste left on lawns can also kill or damage grass and other plants. When dog waste is washed into lakes or streams, the waste decays, uses up oxygen in the water, and sometimes releases ammonia. This can kill fish! Dog waste also contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth. Too much of these nutrients turn water cloudy and green . . . imagine this in your backyard pond or stream!

Rainfall and snowmelt in the Town of Townsend goes untreated into our stormwater system, then directly into local streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. As it flows, stormwater picks up contaminants and pollutants in its path. That’s why it’s important to make sure that dog waste and its pollutants do not end up in groundwater.

Check out this short animated video from the DCR about dog waste in the watershed and learn more about stormwater in Townsend at https://www.townsendma.gov/land-use-department/pages/stormwater-management