Broadmoor-Broadway Village NA

Poppies to Poopies

Jun 20, 2003

A Tale of Arroyo Chico

By Gail Cordy, Hydrologist


Did you see the bright red Oriental poppies that sprang up during April in the arroyo near Tucson Blvd? They were an unexpected treat to walkers in the area.

Even if you didn't see the poppies, you probably have noticed the poopies. We have a significant problem with dog poop along Arroyo Chico. If you walk or jog along either side of Arroyo Chico or in the arroyo you are struck by the quantity of poop --about every 5-10 feet there is a pile. Some say "Oh, those are from people outside our neighborhood walking their dogs." Maybe, but some of our own residents are also culprits. There is a city ordinance that requires dog owners to clean up after their dogs.

So why is dog poop along the arroyo a problem? First, it is a public health hazard because poop contains bacteria and pathogens (disease-causing microbes). Some of these microbes can persist for a long time in the poop. If it is not picked up by the dog's owner, poop accumulates along the arroyo. It then becomes included in the rainfall runoff that enters the arroyo during storms and contaminates sand and water that kids may play in downstream.

This runoff is a small part of the recharge that eventually reaches our drinking-water aquifer. I don't think any of us want to increase the potential for contamination of our ground-water resources.

Secondly, poop along the arroyo can cause a smelly hazard for walkers and joggers. If you, as a dog owner, wouldn?’t want to step in it, you can be sure no one else does either.

And lastly, piles of poop along the paths outside the arroyo are unsightly. They send a message to visitors and motorists passing through that we don?’t care enough about our neighborhood to clean up after our dogs.

Together we can solve this problem with a simple plan to make us all responsible

pet walkers (RPWs) - you know, an RPW is someone that takes a plastic bag with them when they walk with their pet and they know how to use it. So, every time you take your pet for a walk, please take an EXTRA plastic bag with you. Then when you pass another pet walker, smile sweetly, and ask politely "DO YOU NEED A PLASTIC BAG? I HAVE AN EXTRA." That's it!

Ask every pet walker every time, "Do you need a plastic bag? I have an extra." If we all do this, we will become known as a courteous neighborhood that cares about keeping its walkways clean. And pet walkers will start to show their colors (plastic bags) as a way to show they are part of the solution! Just remember the phrase: DYNAPB? IHAE.