Only Rain in the Drain!

In late October, the first two of several storm drain painting awareness projects were completed within the City! The City’s Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) partnered with the College Park Arts Exchange to spread environmental awareness about native Anacostia River animal species which can be negatively impacted by what goes down storm drains. The art highlights what goes in our storm drains then go into our nearby waterways--Indian Creek, Paint Branch, and the northeast Branch of the Anacostia River. Any trash (and other pollution) on the street that gets into the drain--by rain water, wind, etc. unfortunately winds up in the waterways which hurt wildlife.

Entitled “Only Rain in the Drain,” this collaborative project will feature several murals of various animal species including River Otters (which are making a comeback!) and the Blue Heron. The otter mural, painted by Chrissy Wilkin, can be found in Old Town, just north of Calvert Road and the Trolley Trail. The second mural, painted by HK Beall, is at the intersection of Berwyn Road and the trolley trail and features blue herons, which according to the Anacostia Watershed Society, is a species in need of conservation.

Let’s do our part to help our local fauna by keeping grass, leaves, and other things out of our storm drains!