Free Ohio EPA-supported storm drain stenciling kits designed with downstream in mind

Save your streams this spring with Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Rain to River storm drain stenciling kit.

Rain to River is a community-outreach project of the Appalachian Ohio Clean Watershed Initiative, a collaboration between the Voinovich School and its partner organization Rural Action. Supported by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Appalachian Ohio Clean Watershed Initiative works in 33 counties to improve water quality and restore impacted watersheds through education, partnership-building and project implementation.

Rain to River’s ongoing stenciling project targets storm drains that lead directly to local streams and offers a way for concerned citizen groups to engage in water restoration projects.

Storm drain sewers flow directly into local waterways, depositing pollutants and debris picked up in the water’s flow path. Marking storm drains with Rain to River’s stencils can raise awareness about the connection between storm drains and receiving waters. The stencils can also deter local littering, excess fertilizer use, dumping and other practices that contribute to storm water pollution.

An online recording is also available to teach volunteers how to hold a successful stenciling event in their communities.

This stenciling project is offered to Ohio citizens through an Ohio EPA Environmental Education Fund Grant, as part of Ohio’s Clean Water Act Grant Program.

To borrow a storm drain stenciling kit, interested citizens and community groups may contact Jen Bowman at 740.597.3101 or bowmanj2@ohio.edu.