Environmental Advisory Committee
Health Facts

Water Wells That Last - A Guide for Private Well Owners in Alberta

Groundwater is a priceless resource lying beneath most of Alberta’s land surface. About 90 percent of rural Albertans rely on groundwater for a household water supply. Reliance on groundwater continues to increase in Alberta because of the steady rise in population and additional requirements for agricultural, industrial, municipal and domestic uses. Because it is a “hidden” resource, groundwater is vulnerable to overuse and water quality degradation.

Private water well owners are responsible for managing and maintaining their water wells. This publication provides information about how to properly manage private water wells which is key to protecting groundwater supplies.

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributors of this current and previous editions of this publication representing Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Alberta Environment and Parks, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, and the Alberta Water Well Drilling Association. We also acknowledge the following sources of information used in the preparation of this publication: Driscoll, F.G., Groundwater & Wells, and Mance, E., A Landowner’s Guide to Water Well Management.

**Photographs used in this publication were provided by Government of Alberta staff unless otherwise noted.

Environmental & Health Consequences of Dog Poop

• The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the States) deemed pet waste a “nonpoint source of pollution” in 1991, which put dog feces in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals!

• Dog feces are NOT a good fertilizer for grass. It is actually toxic, causing burns and unsightly discoloring.

• It has been estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and severe kidney disorders in humans. The EPA even estimates that two or three days’ worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it to swimming and shell fishing.

• Dog feces are one the most common carriers of the following diseases:

• Picking up dog waste reduces flies and their lifecycle. The same flies that lay their eggs in dog waste can then come into our homes and spread diseases as they pause on our counters and our food. Reducing dog feces reduces fly prevalence. 

• Picking up dog waste reduces flies and their lifecycle. The same flies that lay their eggs in dog waste can then come into our homes and spread diseases as they pause on our counters and our food. Reducing dog feces reduces fly prevalence. 

• Believe it or not, dogs will eat their own feces. While most dog owners think this doesn’t apply to their dogs, the truth is that most dogs will engage in this unsavory practice at some point in their lives. Dogs evolved as carnivores/scavengers and feces were considered fair game in lean times. To prevent this occasional indiscretion from becoming a life-long habit, feces should be cleaned up as soon as possible, especially in young dogs where the problem is most prevalent.

• There is a tremendous amount of information including scientific documentation of the harmful effect of dog feces available on the internet.

Eutrophication (Nutrient Pollution) Did you know?

Spring Lake is known as a ‘seepage lake’ and lakes such as ours are typical in this area. These bodies of water have no surface water inflows or outflows. Most water comes from groundwater flow; springs in our case. Spring Lake, like many lakes in Alberta, is what is called a ‘eutrophic lake’. Lakes become eutrophic in a natural process as the lake ages and becomes more productive. This normally takes thousands of years to occur. We as humans, through our various cultural activities have greatly accelerated the eutrophication process in thousands of lakes around the world.

Read the PDF attached for the complete article on Eutrophication in Spring Lake.