"Picking up after your pooch" became much easier after the town of Clifton Park, New York, established a dog park with its own waste treatment system. Owners may allow their dogs to roam freely in the fenced enclosure, but they must place the dogs' waste into the on-site treatment system to prevent it from accumulating and running off when it rains.
Thought to be the first of its kind in the state, the Mary Jane Roe Dog Park has become increasingly popular since it was established in October 1999. "The town requires that pet owners obtain a permit to use the dog park. We have already issued 182 permits, and the number is growing every day," notes Jason Kemper, the town's environmental specialist.
Along with popularity comes a pile of pet waste. Foreseeing the potential environmental and aesthetic problems, the town incorporated a treatment system into the dog park plan. "The park has several low-lying areas with hydric soils. Surface water runs off the park area through a small wetland and into a nearby stream," explained Kemper. "We were concerned about surface runoff from the site, as well as the mess and odors associated with the large quantities of waste that would be generated."
The Treatment System
When the park first opened, the town installed an in-ground stool digester designed to break down the pet waste by using enzymes and a bacteria additive. The cold New York winter inhibited the degradation processes, however, causing the waste (and dog owner complaints) to accumulate. The growing popularity of the park also placed added pressure on the already insufficient system.
By late winter the town realized that the digester would not meet the park's annual treatment needs. The town voted to install a 500-gallon sealed underground septic tank that could be pumped out once a year or on an as-needed basis. Although no money was set aside in fiscal year 2000 to support the installation of the new $700 system, the town proceeded with the project this summer, using contingency funds. Eventually, the cost of the tank will be offset by the annual $20 permit fees paid by each dog park user. The fees are directed into the town's general fund, out of which $700 is set aside annually to support the dog park's maintenance needs such as fence repair and new poop scoopers.
Environmental Concerns
Although the soils in the park are frequently wet, the tank shouldn't pose any risk of leaching pet waste into the ground water. "The tank is constructed of concrete and was placed below the frost line, so it will not leak or crack," explains Kemper. It is 96 inches long, 62 inches wide, and 38 inches high and was buried a foot below the ground surface. A covered chute, 10 inches wide and 2 feet deep, allows pet owners to deposit their pet's waste directly into the tank.
As the town of Clifton Park strives to meet the recreational and waste treatment needs of all its two-legged and four-legged citizens, the challenges the town has overcome serve as a model for other growing areas struggling to meet similar needs. Thanks to Clifton Park, other municipalities might see the major benefits of providing dogs with a place of their own. Not only will the dogs and owners be happy, but the town can also consolidate and treat pet waste, rather than see it scattered throughout the residential areas waiting for the next storm to wash it away.
[For more information, contact Jason Kemper, Environmental Specialist, One Town Hall Plaza, Clifton Park, NY 12065. Phone (518) 371-6651 x229; fax (518) 371-1136; e-mail: kempjay@hotmail.com.]
