Long Island town to help residents keep dog poop out of water
 
January 16, 2007, 8:05 PM EST 
 
WEST BABYLON, N.Y. (AP) _ Local rivers and bays have gone to the dogs, said town  
officials, who are giving pooper scoopers to residents to help keep pet waste  
pollution out of the waterways. 
 
The Town of Babylon's storm water management program, touted as the first in  
Suffolk County, will provide free scoopers, which will be used to pick up  
droppings left behind by people's cats and dogs so rain doesn't wash the waste  
into bodies of water. 
 
The goals of the program, to be launched Wednesday, are to help residents comply  
with the town's pet poop cleanup regulations and to mitigate the bacteria and  
contaminant levels in the storm water runoff collection system, according to a  
press release from the town's advertising agency. 
 
Storm water runoff is a major source of pollution for coastal and inland waters.  
Improperly disposed animal waste, especially from dogs, can be teeming with  
parasites and disease-carrying bacteria. 
 
Town Supervisor Steve Bellone was to kick off the pooper scooper program  
Wednesday morning at an animal shelter. 
 
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.  
 

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