When a summer storm rolls through Pensacola, the dog poop in your yard doesn't disappear. Rain breaks it up and carries part of it off the lawn, and that's the dog poop stormwater problem in a sentence. The City of Pensacola says stormwater drains off your property picking up fertilizers, pesticides, oil, pet waste and other contaminants and carries them into storm drains. Most of the city's storm drains empty into Bayou Texar, Bayou Chico, Pensacola Bay or Escambia Bay.
From backyard to bayou
Storm drains aren't sewers. A water quality brochure on the EPA's Nonpoint Source toolbox puts it simply: stormwater flows over lawns and streets into storm drains and then directly into nearby waterways without receiving treatment at sewage plants. The EPA's own pet waste fact sheet adds that stormwater can pick up pet waste left on the ground and deposit it directly or through the storm sewer into nearby streams, lakes and rivers.
Locally, the City of Pensacola says contaminated stormwater has contributed to a steady deterioration of Bayou Texar and Bayou Chico. It increases turbidity and reduces oxygen, which has at times led to fish kills in the heat of summer, and it reduces how usable the bayous are for recreation. The city has built treatment projects for some outfalls, but the cheapest fix is keeping waste out of the runoff in the first place.
Does dog poop contaminate water?
Yes. A pet waste fact sheet in the EPA's Nonpoint Source toolbox explains that animal waste carries two main types of pollutants: nutrients and pathogens. In the water, nutrients feed excessive algae and weed growth that can make water murky, green and smelly. Pathogens, meaning disease causing bacteria and viruses, can make waters unswimmable and unfishable. The EPA's stormwater guidance for cities goes further and calls pet waste a leading source of nutrient and bacteria pollution in urban streams and waterways.
Can you get E. coli from dog poop?
Hillsborough County, on Florida's west coast, states on its pet waste page that pet waste contains harmful bacteria such as E. coli and hookworm. The CDC lists other germs dogs can spread to people, including Salmonella, Campylobacter, Giardia, roundworm and hookworm. Not every pile carries every germ, but that's why the CDC says dog poop should be picked up even in your own yard. If you think you're sick from contact with dog waste or contaminated water, talk to your doctor.
How Escambia County tests the water
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County runs the Florida Healthy Beaches Program here, which started in August 2000. As posted in October 2026, staff sample beaches, bays and bayous every two weeks from March through October, and a lab tests the samples for Enterococci, bacteria that live in the intestines of humans and animals. Their presence indicates fecal pollution. The department lists the possible sources as stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage.
| Result (Enterococci per 100 ml) | Rating |
|---|---|
| 0 to 35 | Good |
| 36 to 70 | Moderate |
| 71 or more | Poor |
A result of 71 or more can trigger a resample. If the resample is also high, advisory signs go up saying swimming and other water contact are not recommended. The department notes that high levels can cause infections or illness if water is swallowed or gets into a cut. An advisory has many possible causes, and pet waste is only one of them, so check current results on the health department's beach page before you swim in a bayou.
How long does dog poop hold bacteria?
We didn't find an official figure for how long bacteria survive in a pile, so we won't guess. Parasites are better documented: the CDC says roundworm and hookworm eggs and larvae can survive for weeks and even years in yards, parks and playgrounds. The City of Jacksonville's environmental quality page says dog waste can take over a year to decay, and parasite eggs can linger in soil for years after it's visibly gone. We dig into that in how long dog poop takes to break down in a Florida yard, and into parasites in hookworms and roundworms in your yard.
What actually helps
- Scoop before the rain. Summer afternoon storms are predictable. A quick lap of the yard before the clouds roll in keeps piles out of the runoff.
- Bag it and trash it. Never put dog waste in a storm drain or ditch. Our guide to putting dog poop in the trash covers which cart it goes in.
- Don't hose piles toward the street. That sends them straight to the drain.
- Give water some room. The EPA hosted fact sheet suggests not letting dogs go within 200 feet of a water body. If you live on a bayou or canal, pick a potty spot on the far side of the yard.
Fewer piles, less runoff
A regular schedule means fewer piles sitting in the yard when a storm hits. We scoop every pile, double bag it, and haul it away or place it in your bin. See plans on our pricing page.
Text SCOOP to (850) 273-8546 with your address and number of dogs, or sign up online. Weekly service starts at $79 a month for one dog.