By Jodi Sulpizzio, York County Master Watershed Steward Coordinator

Artwork around the storm drains raises citizen awareness and helps educate the public about the connection between storm drains and local streams.

Pollution from stormwater runoff is one of the number one causes of water pollution in the United States.

Stormwater runoff is rainwater or snowmelt that has not infiltrated into the ground and runs across the land carrying pollutants with it.

In a natural environment, precipitation is slowly absorbed into the ground by plants resulting in natural stream flows and good water quality. Impervious surfaces like rooftops, parking lots, sidewalks and roadways prevent rain and snow from infiltrating into the ground.

Large amounts of water rapidly run off these surfaces into storm drains. Storm drain systems have been designed and put in place to carry this runoff from streets to waterways to prevent urban flooding.

Curbs, gutters, catch basins, drainpipes and flood control channels make up the systems.

Water moving through these systems is not treated before it is discharged to lakes, streams and rivers.

Because the water is not treated or cleaned in the storm drain systems, they are pathways for many pollutants entering the waterways.

Everything dropped on the roads or sidewalks, including oil, chemicals, grass clippings, soil, trash and more, could potentially pollute the streams through the storm drain systems.

Many people are not aware of this direct connection.

Because stormwater is a growing form of pollution and water quality is a concern for many citizens, the Master Watershed Stewards in York County have once again partnered with the City of York, the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, and the Watershed Alliance of York to hold the 4th Annual Street 2 Creek Storm Drain Art Contest.

The goal of the annual project is to increase public knowledge and awareness of the function and importance of storm drains and water quality via public involvement and artwork.

The artwork around the storm drains raises citizen awareness and helps educate the public about the connection between storm drains and local streams.

Master Watershed Stewards put a "call" out to artists living in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. A panel of judges made up of community leaders and local artists judged the artwork using a rubric, and the top three artists were selected.

The storm drains were then painted in downtown York, and winning artists were recognized at the Yorkfest Fine Arts Festival.

The trail of storm drain art starts in the center of the city near the Codorus Creek and ends at the Royal Square District, an art and shopping district in the city.

As you walk the streets, you may encounter fifteen painted drains.

You may stumble upon tangling octopus legs reaching out of a storm drain, an elegant egret vigilantly watching over a storm drain, a map of York County watersheds illustrating the meandering streams flowing into the mighty Susquehanna River and more.

The artwork adds a splash of color to the downtown area, but more importantly, each unique painting relays a message about keeping our streets and waterways clean.

 Our streams and rivers are worth protecting!

To learn more about stormwater management visit Penn State Extension's Stormwater Management webpage.

For more information on the Street 2 Creek Project, check out their website.

This project was funded by York Water Company.

(Photo: Jessica Pedro-Pascual painting a storm drain in downtown York.)

(Reprinted from Penn State Extension Watershed Winds newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.) 

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[Posted: December 13, 2021]

12/20/2021