For the past five Summers, and especially the last two, my Labrador
Caitlin and I have gone swimming almost every day at the spillway. I
*trusted* the city's tests of the water quality and believed it to be the
safest water around. *******s...........

Honestly, if you and your dog are going swimming in the *SPILLWAY* you have
far bigger concerns. Namely, fecal matter.

Last summer, I conducted a poll, interviewing a day's worth of dogs at the
Barton Springs Spillway.

I found that, after their most recent bowel movement, not a single one of
them had wiped their ass before getting in the water.

Interestingly, my poll also found that many of these dogs shared a common
interest: rolling in each others shit. (Or any animal's shit that they
might happen upon...)

And to make matters worse, not a one of them showers on a regular basis.
Yes, they have shit ALL OVER themselves when they get in the water.

(By they way, some of the more roguish dogs tend to enjoy occassionally
shitting right there in the water, too.)

Anyway, my whole extensive study can be summarized in 2 words: fecal
matter. The spillway is full of it. I had a friend whose dog got giardia
after one visit. (no kidding) Which is astounding, considering that this
dog absolutely loves to drink from the toilet.

Perhaps the bigger "*******s" are those who suggested to you that the
spillway is as safe as the pool. I mean, if you're drinking your water out
of the toilet, does it really matter if your water lines carry Evian or tap
water? As Skinhead O'Connor said, "Fight the real enemy!"