STC How-to

how-to guide:
STORM DRAINS























Robert Lawton

First, this is going to be really fun!
Thank you for helping your students
WELCOME and community learn about stormwater

runoff by marking storm drains!

This how-to guide will
equip you with the steps
for marking storm
drains. Storm drains can
be found throughout
your community and
many who pass by have
no idea where they lead.
WBALTV11
By marking storm
drains, your class can draw more attention to storm drains and
prompt a community discussion about the pollution entering
your local waterways. This can include oil, gas, anitfreeze, trash,
pesticides, fertilizers and more!

step one:
OVERVIEW




To mark storm drains, you will need
to identify storm drains, ask for
permission and gather supplies.
There are many different stencils
available online that can either be
ordered or used as a reference to
cut out your own. Additionally, you
may ask local partners, such as
the locality, 4H extension office,
Soil and Water Conservation
District, or, nonprofit if they have a
Stencil Ease
stencil that your class may use.

step two:
PERMISSION




To mark storm drains, you will need to identify where
the storm drains are in your community and which drains
you would like to mark. Identifying storm drains in high traffic
areas will be ideal for sparking community conversation
and awareness. Second, you need to ask permission from
your locality. This is imperative in moving forward as the
locality manages the storm drains. Contact your County’s or
Town’s Administrative Office or contact the department of Public
Works directly. You could do this yourself or have the students
develop a proposal describing the importance of storm
drain awareness and benefits that they present to the community.

step three: Once permission has been
granted, you and your class
COMMUNITY should begin developing
City of Richmond, Department of Public Utilities public service announcements,
posters and letters to explain
to the community what the
storm drain markings mean
and why they are important.
This will not only spread
information in
the community,
but will also
help students
bet t er
u nd ersta nd
stormwater
runoff issues.

& your community!

step four:
SAFETY





Safety is very important when
marking storm drains as they
typically run along streets. You
should review the following rules
with students:
• Wear orange vests while
working along roads
• Always have adult supervision
• No horseplay with paints or
along roads
• If it looks dangerous, don’t do it George Cesnik

step five:
SUPPLIES Supplies school, be locality or
may
provided
the
by
partner organization. The
following supplies are needed:
• Orange vests
• Stencils
• Cleaning cloth
• Cleaning spray
• Can of paint or spray-can
(brushes and stirrer if can)
• List of locations
• “Wet paint” signs
Brigitt Martin • Tape
• Drop cloth
• *Optional: Medallion with liquid
nail glue

step six:
STENCIL DAY!




Before going to stencil, you may wish to have multiple stencils so
your students can work in small groups if the storm drains are close to
one another and you have enough adult supervision. Make sure each
student wears an orange safety vest and understands the different
safety procedures. Before marking the storm drains, clean the space
you are going to stencil and place a drop cloth on the ground so paint does
not get in places you do not want. Following the cleaning, tape down the
stencil above the storm drain. Once in place, paint the stencil either
with a paint brush or with a spray can. Let the paint dry for a few minutes
before removing the stencil. Once the marking is done be sure to tape
a “wet paint” sign on each drain so others do not accidentally walk on the
markings. These signs will need to be picked up after the paint dries.

step seven:
GET CREATIVE




You can also have students design
murals that can be painted onto
the curb with traffic paint. This
method of marking allows for
students to express creativity and
tell a more elaborate story of the
magnitude of a storm drain!
You can also use storm drain
medallions which are affixed
Suburban Acres Civic League
to the storm drain using an
adhesive glue such as liquid nails. This can be a pricier option although
some organizations will partner with you to provide the supplies you
need to use medallions. Check out the “more information” section for
additional resources for storm drain marking.

Painting ideas!













Storm Drain Reveal















Racheal Stahlman & Sabra Morin James River Basin

More information:
QUESTIONS Foundation - Storm Drain
• Chesapeake Bay

Stenciling
• Blue Water Baltimore -
If you are interested in marking Storm Drain Art
storm drains or have questions • askHRgreen.org - Storm
about the process or this how-to Drain Medallion Program
guide, please contact:


Friends of the Rappahannock
Headquarters: 3219 Fall Hill Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
540.373.3448
Tidal: Post Office Box 1459
Tappahannock, VA 22560
804.443.3448
[email protected] • riverfriends.org

funded by:
NOAA Chesapeake Bay


Watershed Education



and Training Grant













Robert Lawton