Northwest Arkansas Cities Install Donated Pet Waste Stations To Keep Parks Beautiful, Protect Illinois River

Pet waste disposal stations within the Illinois River watershed have been installed at Ward Nail Park in Lowell because of a donation from Save the Illinois River (STIR) Inc.
Pet waste disposal stations within the Illinois River watershed have been installed at Ward Nail Park in Lowell because of a donation from Save the Illinois River (STIR) Inc.

Northwest Arkansas cities, including Lowell, are installing pet waste disposal stations to encourage park-goers to clean up after their pets and keep runoff pollution out of the Illinois River, officials said.

AT A GLANCE

Illinois River Watershed

The Illinois River is a multi-jurisdictional tributary of the Arkansas River between Arkansas and Oklahoma. It begins in Washington County and flows west into Northeast Oklahoma. Illinois River tributaries in Arkansas are on the federal list of impaired and threatened waters for total phosphorus.

Pet Waste Problems

As pet waste decays, it consumes oxygen and can release ammonia. That can hurt fish and other aquatic life. The waste can also promote algae growth, turning waters cloudy green and making swimming unappealing or unhealthy. Pet waste has bacteria, viruses and parasites that can threaten human health.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

“This helps keep waterways clean,” said Richard Stone, stormwater coordinator at Lowell.

Siloam Springs, Lowell and Tontitown have added — or soon will added — stations offering biodegradable bags and a receptacle for pet owners use. Save The Illinois River, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the Illinois River watershed, donated the stations worth about $175 a piece, said Ed Brocksmith, secretary-treasurer.

Web Watch

To see a map of the Illinois River Watershed, go to www.nwaonline.com.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

“Pet waste is a source of water contamination,” Brocksmith said. “It’s not a major problem, not compared to poultry waste or litter, but it is a potential source.”

Siloam Springs installed four stations from the group last year. Lowell installed two stations this month along a trail at Ward Nail Park and a trail near the senior center. Tontitown plans to install two stations at Harry Sbanotto Park in the coming weeks.

Other stations from the group are in use in Oklahoma, Brocksmith said.

The move toward more waste stations isn’t new. Fayetteville installed dozens of stations years ago, said Alison Jumper, park planning superintendent. Brocksmith said, however, he wants to see more stations in the watershed area.

The installation of waste stations is “fantastic,” said Delia Haak, executive director of Illinois River Watershed Partnership.

Individually, the waste stations might not seem to make a huge impact, but as a group, pet owners who clean up after their animals make a difference in keeping pollution out of the river, she said.

Arkansas was No. 1 in the nation for the number of households owning a dog in 2012, according to a report on demographics and pet ownership by the American Veterinarian Medical Association released this year.

About 48 percent of Arkansas households own a dog, according to the association.

Dogs visit the Tontitown park every day, said Ken Bailey, city public works director. The new stations will protect busloads of school children who visit the park, and keep the area’s water protected, he said.

On a warm Sunday afternoon, Dennis and Donna Henson and Donna’s son, Kyle Eldridge, took their dogs, Liliah and Dani, to Ward Nail Park. They passed other dogs on leashes as they walked along the trail.

“We love it here,” Dennis Henson said.

He said the park is beautiful, and people should clean up after their pets to keep it that way, and the waste stations make doing that easy.

“It’s cool,” Henson said.

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