Making Waves for a Cleaner Bay: Storm Drain Art in Our Community

At Kindness Heals Village, we’re passionate about protecting our planet, one act of kindness at a time. This month, we teamed up with a group of enthusiastic teens from INTERACT to tackle a creative and educational project right in our neighborhood: painting a storm drain!

Under the guidance of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, our mission was to spread awareness about something we often overlook—where our stormwater goes. Every drop of rain that hits the streets doesn’t just disappear. It flows into storm drains and straight into our local rivers, streams, and ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. The storm drain we painted now serves as a beautiful reminder to everyone in the neighborhood that what goes down the drain, ends up in the Bay!

Our artwork—a vibrant ocean scene—grabs the attention of passersby and helps remind them that storm drains are directly linked to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. But it’s more than just a pretty picture; it’s a call to action!

From litter and pet waste to auto fluids and fertilizers, pollutants that enter the storm drains pose a serious threat to water quality and wildlife.

This effort is part of Montgomery County's Storm Drain Art Program, which uses creativity to inform the public about stormwater pollution. These storm drains aren’t just pipes—they are gateways to our waterways. The stormwater, untreated and unfiltered, carries pollutants like trash, oil, and chemicals right into our rivers and streams.

It’s a community-wide effort to make a positive impact on the environment, and we’re thrilled to have contributed.

Interested in joining the movement? You can get involved in storm drain art or marking projects in your own community! These efforts make it clear that storm drains should never be used for disposing of anything other than rainwater. For more information, or to organize your own storm drain marking project, contact the Department of Environmental Protection at Stream.Stewards@montgomerycountymd.gov

Let’s continue to make waves for a cleaner, healthier Bay. Together, small actions can lead to a ripple effect of big changes for the environment!

We hope this project inspires more people to think before they toss something on the ground and realize that keeping the Bay clean starts in our own backyards!