University Facilities

Regarding Pedestrian Use of Lake Drive

Photo of sign asking pet owners to keep animals leashed and off pavement.
New signs along Lake Dr. encourage owners to leash pets and dispose of waste.

Have you noticed the new signage on Lake Drive? Clemson University Facilities has installed new signage to help ensure pedestrian safety and to remind everyone to clean up after their pets.

A Resource for Work and Play

The Clemson University Wastewater Treatment Plant has always enjoyed sharing Lake Drive with the community as a scenic walking space. To keep both humans and animals safe, University Facilities asks all visitors to keep their pets on leashes while walking along the asphalt pathway. Lake Drive is the only vehicular entrance to the Wastewater Treatment Plant and has regular vehicular traffic. In addition to being a well-used service road, emergency responders rely on Lake Drive to access the plant. Your help in keeping pets leashed and ideally out of the roadway as vehicles travel to and from the plant is much appreciated.

Lake Hartwell

When left unbagged, untreated pet waste containing harmful bacteria enters stormwater runoff. This material impacts wildlife living in or near Hartwell Lake. Bacterial pollution can also harm water quality for local recreation and drinking. The best way to counter bacterial pollution is to bag all pet waste. If left behind, simply being contained prevents the spread of bacteria via runoff. Even so, Clemson University Facilities has installed signs along Lake Drive to remind everyone to bag their pet’s waste and dispose of it in the nearest trash receptacle. This keeps the path not just environmentally friendly but a pleasant for everyone to use. We’re grateful for everyone’s contribution in this—it’s a community effort to ensure the lake remains healthy and the path remains open for everyone to enjoy.

Photo of sign encouraging pet owners to pick up pet waste.
Picking up after pets helps keep harmful biological pollution from entering stormwater and ultimately Lake Hartwell.