The Environmental & Safety Division Stormwater Section is collaborating with the Parks Department on a community initiative to promote the proper disposal of pet waste. The "Stop Poo-lution: Bag It, Tie It, Trash It" campaign is focused on reducing pet waste at the Pima Canyon and Desert Foothills Trailheads.
Phoenix rarely gets rain but when it does, stormwater picks up pollutants such as pet waste, which then flows untreated into the environment. Pet waste introduces E.coli and other harmful viruses and bacteria into our waterways after storm and rain events. Compared to the treatment of stormwater and clean-up in our parks and trails, it is easier and more cost-effective to prevent pollutants like pet waste from contaminating stormwater by simply picking up pet waste and disposing of it properly.
The community outreach events will be held at both trails once per month, from October to February. A second collection event will be held to calculate the amount of pet waste on the trails to determine if the outreach efforts were effective.