Storm Drain Art Comes to Portland!

Mural design by local artist, Jada Fitch.

Storm drains line our streets and parking lots to collect rain water and carry it to our local waterways, so why not make them a little more fun? The City of Portland is adding artwork and clean water messages to the storm drains. Check out the Leland Street sidewalk next to Memorial Stadium to see the newly installed artwork!

Why? Aside from being fun to look at, this storm drain art is custom made as a reminder that our storm drains flow directly into our waterways without being cleaned. As rainwater or melted snow flows over hard surfaces, like roads, sidewalks, and parking lots, it picks up pollutants along the way. This pollution includes pet waste, salt, sand, fertilizer, weed and bug killers, and more. The pollutants and water makes their way through our storm drains and out into local streams, rivers, and the ocean. Here in Portland, that means pollution can easily find its way into Casco Bay!

Here are 3 simple things Portland residents are doing to help keep Casco Bay clean:

1. Cleaning Up After Pets - Bag it AND trash it.
2. Car Washing Smart - Avoid soapy water runoff by washing on the lawn or going to a commercial car wash.
3. Healthy Lawn Care Practices - Reduce your use of fertilizer and weed and bug killers - check out Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District's YardScape page for more info.

Kat Munson from the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District installs a storm drain mural.

Mural installed on Leland Street sidewalk.