Pet waste should not be left along the road or in the park. If it is, the next rain will wash it and all of its bacteria into local stormdrains and streams. Waste belongs either in the trash, flushed down your toilet, or buried in your yard. If you choose to bury it, make sure it is at least 3 feet deep, and not in your compost or near your vegetable garden.

Next time you take Fido for a walk:

• Make sure you have extra baggies in the car for when you drive to the park;
• Carry enough baggies for Fido, as well as some extras to hand out to less conscientous dog-walkers;
• No need to fill up your pockets - try tying the baggies either onto the leash or Fido's collar.

"But isn't dog poo natural?" Yes, it is. However, urban areas allow there to be huge numbers of domestic animals in relatively small areas. These populations are much more dense than they would ever be in a "natural" situation, and the environment is unable to aborb all of the waste.

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Where does the water go when you flush your toilet?

In urban or suburban areas, when you flush a toilet, the wastewater goes through a sewer system to a wastewater treatment facility designed to handle large amounts of waste. If you live in a rural area, you may have your own treatment center known as a septic system. If you own a septic system, you are responsible for maintaining it and keeping untreated wastewater out of the environment.

What happens when untreated waste water is released into the environment?

Harmful bacteria (eg.E.coli) become health hazards; Nitrogen and phosphates in untreated water can cause algal blooms, which cause fishkills. Also, the suspended solids in wastewater make the water look murky and can affect the ability of many fish to breathe and see; It stinks!

Maintaining your septic system

Bacteria in a septic system's holding tank break down the waste. These critters can break down most organic things, but can't handle any plastic or other tough materials. Also, harsh household chemicals can kill all of your system's bacteria, rendering the whole system ineffective. For these reasons, never flush:

hair combings coffee grounds dental floss disposable diapers kitty litter sanitary napkins cigarette butts gauze bandages fat, grease, or oil paper towels oil household chemicals ...or anything else that won't decompose in water

Have your tank inspected every year. It may need to be pumped every three to five years.

How often you need to pump your septic tank depends on: The number of people in your household; The amount of wastewater generated ; and The volume of solids in the wastewater (e.g., using a garbage disposal will increase the amount of solids).

Keep good records, for yourself and the next owner.

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Too often, people remove the caps from the sewer drains on their property and divert rain runoff from their roofs and yards into the sewage system. This can cause serious environmental problems such as sewage spills because the sewage system is not designed to handle the massive volumes of water we get during a heavy rain.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health's Clean Water Branch blamed the January 2004 sewage spills at Kailua, Lanikai and Waimanalo beaches on such diversions of rainwater into the sewers (source).

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