Most American's don't think of man's best friend as a notorious water polluter, but Fido, Rover, Rex and all of the nation's other 78 million dogs pose a serious threat to U.S. waterways if their waste isn't handled properly.

The Dog Waste Water Pollution Problem

USAToday reports that 40% of dog owners do not pick up their animal's contribution to the 10 million tons of dog waste generated in the United States annually. In only takes 2 to 3 days for 100 dogs to drop enough bacteria to contaminate a bay and force officials to close it and all waterways within 20 miles to swimming and fishing.

Dog waste is an environmental pollutant. In 1991, it was placed in the same health category as oil and toxic chemicals by the Environmental Protection Agency, explains Virginia-based pet waste removal company Doody Calls in a press release. Unlike other sources of contamination adding to water pollution, such as lawn fertilizer, rinse water from driveways and motor oil, dog waste produces disease-causing bacteria that can be transmitted directly to humans, especially children, and make them sick.

Because scientists are able to track the origin of fecal bacteria to the species that excreted it, officials can estimate how much of a local water contamination problem is from dog waste as compared to human or farm animal waste. One study showed as much as 90% of the fecal coliform in city stormwater was of non-human origin, mostly dog. Places where dogs dirty the water:

"Stevenson Creek in Clearwater, Florida -. Residents were worried that a sewage treatment plant contaminated the creek. But when Harwood tested the water, she found that dogs, along with leaky septic tanks and wild animals, were to blame for high bacteria counts. Dog feces probably washed out of yards by the creek, Harwood says.

Four Mile Run in Arlington and Fairfax counties, Virginia - Studies show that dogs add to the contamination in this suburban Washington, D.C. stream. Officials calculate that the 12,000 dogs living in Four Mile Run's watershed leave behind more than 5,000 pounds of "solid waste" every day.

Boise River in Boise, Idaho - The river suffers from high bacteria levels that make it unsuitable for swimming. Testing of streams and drainpipes flowing into the river showed that in urban areas, dogs were a leading culprit. In some spots, dogs and cats account for even more of the bacteria than human feces” from dysfunctional septic tanks and leaky sewage pipes” do."

Cities and Towns Crack Down on Dog Waste

Seattle officials estimate that at least 1 million dogs live within the Puget Sound watershed. The non-profit Puget Sound Starts Here partnered with local artist Martin Luther and his dog to film a PSA and musical spoof called: Dog Doogity.

Another group called Park Spark in Cambridge, Massachusetts, decided to keep the excrement out of the Charles River by using to to generate electricity.

USAToday reports that dog waste is enough of a problem that many cities are dedicating their limited resources to it:

San Diego - The city spent roughly $10,000 on extra trash cans, nagging signs and plastic 'mutt mitts' at its Dog Beach, where the surf was closed to swimmers 125 times in 2000. The measures led to 'measurably fewer dog piles. That's the term we use,' says Ted Medina, deputy director for coastal parks. He estimates the beach is 30%-40% cleaner than it was before the effort started [in 2001].

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area near Atlanta - Bacteria levels in the river exceed standards so often that a Web site tells would-be boaters and swimmers whether the river is safe on any given day. To help clean it up, park officials recently started giving tickets to visitors who have dogs but no doggie bags.

Boulder, Colorado - Here the problem wasn't dirty water but the nitrogen in dog droppings. Native grasses in the city's mountain parks are used to low-nitrogen conditions. But with dogs doing their business, weeds were muscling aside the grasses. The city did 10 months of education before starting to hand out $100 fines last year. Boulder officials had to convince residents that dog waste 'is not fertilizer,' says Mike Patton, co-director of open space and mountain parks. 'Some people really did believe it was.'"

Dog Piles Not Just a City Water Pollution Problem

Alarmed by how many dog owners were not cleaning up after their pets on Jefferson County park trails, officials started a public education campaign.

"Unlike wild-animal feces, dog poop does not biodegrade quickly. And the lingering litter is more than a nuisance to trail users; it can be a health risk. The waste can contaminate groundwater with bacteria and parasites," reports the Denver Post.

"It's a quality-of-life issue," said Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink. "People are not picking up the poop. They think it's a bunch of crap. But the environmental impact is the problem we are after."

Keeping Poop Out of Our Water: What's a Responsible Dog Owner to Do?

First, environmentalists and public officials are in agreement, you should not let your dog's droppings lay near water ways, curbs, or even in your yard. What you should do, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, is . . .

• Bag it - If your city allows, wrapping dog waste in a plastic bag and putting it in the trash prevents it from becoming pollution but also guarantees that it will last for hundreds of years in landfills.
• Flush it - Most sewage treatment systems can handle dog waste flushed down the toilet. If your house has a septic system, check with your manufacturer about the extra load. (Because the parasite Toxoplasma gondii can survive sewage treatment plants, flushing cat waste is not recommended.)
• Process it - An underground pet waste digester is basically a septic tank just for your pet that can be installed in your yard.
• Bury it - So long as your water table isn't too close to the surface and you keep pet waste away from vegetable gardens and streams, waste can be safely buried in wholes or shallow trenches. Buried waste at least 5 inches deep and always cover fresh waste with with dirt.
• Outsource it - Poop collection services will clean your yard for you if you'd rather not do it yourself.

If you feel you may be at risk drinking water that is potentially contaminated by dog or animal feces, please note that any of the berkey water filter systems equipped with the black berkey filters elements will purify this dangerous bacteria from the water.