Canines for Clean Water

Dog lovers are water lovers

Springfield’s waterways are of great value to us and our pets. There’s nothing quite like watching your dog romp and play in a stream, or enjoying the natural beauty of the Willamette River with your best canine friend. We receive a lot of rain and one of the biggest threats to local bodies of water, including the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers, is urban runoff. As runoff flows over rooftops, yards, streets, and other hard surfaces, it washes pollutants into storm drains and out to waterways where they can harm local wildlife and water quality.

Clean water is the result of each of us doing our part

City staff – We help plan, clean, and maintain public streets, catch basins, pipes, and treatment systems such as swales, planters and ponds. We also respond to complaints of spills, help businesses develop water-friendly habits, and provide public education on our water systems.

Springfield residents – You and your loved ones have an even more important role because it’s your everyday behaviors that can either cause or prevent pollution. As you look through the months in the calendar, you’ll meet local canine friends and you’ll see special clean water tips, that are based on today’s needs in Springfield’s waterways.

Click to view the brochure.

We pledge and we prevent water pollution

Our everyday actions contribute to waterway health and Canines for Clean Water reminds us of that fact. Common river pollutants include bacteria and harmful nutrients from animal droppings, leaking fluids from vehicles, chemicals for killing moss and weeds, soaps from car washing, and litter such as cigarette butts.

The Canines for Clean Water Calendar Contest asks all participants to pledge to pick up after their pet in an effort to reduce bacteria contamination in waterways from runoff.

You, too, can pledge online to scoop the poop and receive a banana and a bag holder for your leash! Click the green button below to “Pledge now.”