Poo Report: Monthly Sewage Compliance Monitoring

Bayou City Waterkeeper created a tool called the Monthly Poo Report to watch how well Houston is fixing its sewage system problems. The organization tracks sanitary sewer overflows, situations where untreated or partially treated sewage gets released into local bayous, parks, and neighborhoods instead of going to treatment facilities. This happens when heavy rainstorms overwhelm the system or when equipment breaks down.

The Poo Report monitors the city's progress on meeting requirements from a major settlement. In 2021, after discovering thousands of illegal sewage releases, the organization pushed for accountability. A federal judge then ordered Houston to spend $2 billion fixing its sewage system over 15 years. The monthly report helps communities see whether this investment is actually reducing sewage overflows.

Why does this matter? Sewage contamination harms public health and dirties local water. Importantly, the problem is not distributed equally. Neighborhoods with more Black, Brown, and low-income residents experience more overflows. By tracking and sharing this data publicly, Bayou City Waterkeeper gives communities the information they need to hold their city accountable for cleaner water.