K-9 units sniffing out, well, what they often sniff...

KIRKLAND -- Warm weather means lots of people are going to be heading to area beaches. But it's hard to know if the water is clean.

Local leaders are concerned about Juanita Creek in Kirkland. They want to find the source of fecal contamination, which has been a problem for years.

Now, crews are using dogs to figure out if the waste is from animals or from leaking septic tanks.

"The hope is that we can find sources of bacteria in the creek so that those sources don't make it into the swimming area and will lead to fewer closures of the beach,"  said Jenny Gavs, a Kirkland city employee.

Results from the tests should come back in the next 48 hours.

The certified sewage-sniffing dogs will also be putting their noses to work at Thornton Creek later this week.