Pet waste is more than an annoyance for pedestrians, it contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites and poses a serious threat to our rivers, lakes, and streams. In addition to looking and smelling bad, animal waste can wash into drain inlets during storm events. Storm water, carrying the waste flows from the inlets through the drainage system and discharges into local creeks and rivers and eventually into McKellar Lake and the Mississippi River. In addition to increasing bacteria levels, decomposing animal waste demands a high level of oxygen from the water. By reducing the amount of available oxygen, aquatic life suffers.
