A Look at Water and Your Pets

Print Feedback

Font Size: + -

DO YOUR PART TO ENSURE CLEAN WATERWAYS

Water

A clear, odorless, tasteless liquid that is the main part of all living things.

Ground water

Fresh water found beneath the Earth's surface, usually in aquifers.

Surface water

Water that remains on the top of the Earth - such as streams, lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands and reservoirs.

Water cycle

The process by which water on the Earth is evaporated into a vapor (gas), condenses into a liquid in the clouds and falls back to Earth as precipitation.

Runoff water *

Water that flows across the surface rather than soaking into the surface, which picks up and carries pollution, and eventually drains into rivers, lakes and other waterways. The waterways in Weston are part of a stormwater management system and as such, collect water that runs off roadways and properties and into the drainage system into the waterway to hold the stormwater.

Irrigate

To put water on the land to help plants grow.

Xeriscape

Pronounced xe·ri·scape, a landscape that requires less water and less maintenance because plants are selected and grouped based on their needs for water, and plant beds have 2-3 inches of mulch.

Tap Water Treatment Should I Buy Bottled Water?

You don't need to by bottle water for health reasons as your drinking water in Weston meets all of the federal and state drinking water standards. If you want a drink with a different taste, you can buy bottle water but it costs up to 1,000 times more than municipal drinking water. Of course, in emergencies bottled water can be a vital source of drinking water.

How Do Chemicals Get In My Water?

Many of them, such as calcium, magnesium, iron and others, occur naturally in water, and most of these "natural" chemicals are not harmful to your health. However, surface runoff pollutes reservoirs, rivers, oceans and our Everglades.

People are responsible for a lot of the problem. For instance, if you paint your house with an oil-based paint, clean your brushes with paint thinner, and dump the paint thinner in the back yard, you can contaminate an aquifer that may be someone's water supply. Pet owners, not picking up after pets leaves a toxic mess that runs directly into the stormwater canals that lead to the Everglades. The same is true for smokers and litterbugs who throw trash on the ground.

Picking Up After Pets is the Law

Section 4-8 Broward County Code (adopted by the City of Weston)

Permitting an Animal to Commit a Nuisance:

It is against the law for any person to allow a cat or dog to defecate at any of the following places:

the sidewalk of any public street, park, beach or school ground or other designated area
any private property not belonging to the pet owner, unless the person makes an immediate effort to remove any feces/mess left by the pet
any swale or street right-of-way that deposits water to a canal, lake or other water way unless the person makes an immediate effort to remove any feces/mess left by the pet.

» Download Flyer