Cedar Rapids launches 'pick up the poo' campaign

Picking up after your pet isn't just courteous, it's also a pet owner's civic duty.

The City of Cedar Rapids claims the roughly two tons of pet waste produced in Cedar Rapids every day is contributing to water pollution in the city.

Annual water quality testing from Coe College that found rainfall runoff sent high levels of E.Coli bacteria into creeks and streams.  E.Coli bacteria indicates a high presence of feces.  Some sites had E.Coli levels 15 times higher than the safe level recommended by Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The city claims dog owners not picking up after their pet contribute to that problem.

"Would you let raw sewage build up daily on the ground in the city?" asked Craig Hansen, the Cedar Rapids maintenance manager, in a news release.

To fight the fecal problem, Cedar Rapids launched a 'pick-up the poo pledge' to encourage dog owners to clean up dog droppings.  City employees passed out information on runoff to pet owners and asked them to sign a pledge to pick-up after their pooches.

To learn more about improving and protecting water quality visit 

www.CityofCR.com/stormwater