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Sioux Falls Adds Pet Waste Stations In Effort To Clean River

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Sioux Falls has recently installed pet waste pickup stations in parks and along a bike trail as it tries to clean up the Big Sioux River.

The Argus Leader ( ) reports 24 stations were installed that provide bags for dog owners. Funding comes from a $6,000 grant from the South Dakota Discovery Center.

The city’s sustainability coordinator Jessica Lantgen says South Dakota considers the river “impaired,” and that solid waste and bacteria make it unsafe for recreational use. She says dog waste was found in some bacteria in the river.

Lantgen says it will take years to clean up the river, but that the city is taking first steps toward that goal.

Last year, Sioux Falls spent $11,550 on a campaign to educate residents about the perils of pet waste.

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Information from: Argus Leader,