Another potentially significant source of excess nutrients and bacterial contamination in urbanized areas, including your own back yard, is dog poop. Love your dog and be sure to clean up after him or her because the nutrients can get washed, like many fertilizers, into storm drains during rainstorms. Of course, there are many other good reasons to clean up after your favorite four-legged friend.

What do you do with the "scooped" poop?

• Flush it down the toilet so the septic system or sewage treatment plant will treat it in the same manner as human waste -- but be careful of rocks and dirt that could damage your system.
• If local regulations allow, you can put the tied bags into the trash.
• Bury the waste (without the bag, of course) in your yard, well away from any waterways or vegetable gardens.
• Install an underground pet waste digester. Before you buy or make one, check for local laws that may restrict their use or location.
• In many urban areas now you can even hire companies to come and clean up your yard (try googling "pooper scooper" to find local companies).

What not to do:
Do not throw the "scooped" poop into a storm drain, stream, or river! Storm drains are not septic sewers, they drain directly--without treatment--into the nearest stream or river.

Some more information on pet waste composting/making a pet waste digester:

To learn about OAR's programs that target the Assabet's issues, check out OAR Programs.