Rivers Project

                                                                  

How to Organize Storm Sewer Stenciling Projects in Your Communities
 

WHAT IS NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION?

WHAT IS STORM SEWER STENCILING?

One of the most daunting environmental problems that threaten our waterways today is non-point source (NPS) pollution. Though NPS pollution is a mouthful, it's not a mystery. In fact, many of us can describe NPS pollution and even identify it when we see it: old tires and paint cans bobbing near a fallen log, a motor oil slick creeping across the still waters of a slow moving creek, or the stagnant green, bubbling ooze of algal bloom that quickly covers the surface of an unsuspecting river bend. Though NPS pollution is just "regular old pollution," it has one distinguishing factor: we often don't know where it comes from. Locating the source (which is usually human or a result of human activity), enforcing environmental regulations, administering fines or punishment, and eliminating the pollution are problematic due to the nature of NPS pollution.

In Illinois, the biggest source of pollution in our waterways is NPS pollution. Some NPS pollutants, such as old tires or batteries, are deliberately tossed straight into our rivers, our streams, or our lakes. Alternatively, when heavy rains fall upon roads, lawns, parking lots, construction sites, and, especially in Illinois, agricultural fields, runoff transports motor oils, coolants, herbicides, soil, and fertilizers into storm sewers, gullies, streams, rivers and ponds. As the runoff loses speed and comes to rest, it can eventually seep into our groundwater. Runoff, which constitutes the majority of NPS pollution, contributes to an overall decline in the environment and quality of life.

Though NPS pollution might seem to be a local problem, it affects all communities and requires widespread attention and resolution. Organizing a storm sewer stenciling project is one important environmental initiative that can lead to cleaner, healthier drinking and recreation water for our homes, communities, and neighbors downstream.

Our Storm Sewer Stenciling Project, funded by a grant from the US EPA, Region V , attempted to reduce or eliminate NPS pollution by having school children stencil warnings on storm sewer drains. In the American Bottoms region of Southwestern Illinois, we stenciled storm sewer drains with the warning "Do Not Dump/ Drains Into OUR Mississippi." By stenciling this warning on every storm sewer drain in our area, we hope to illustrate the connection between humans, their actions, and the pollution we see everyday in and along the Mississippi River. We also hope to promote environmental stewardship as each community sees visible improvements in their drinking and recreational water quality and takes responsibility for the future of both their community and their health.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Organizing your own storm sewer stenciling project is a great way to take positive environmental responsibility

and action in your community. We've provided a list of the steps and procedures that we used and some advice

so that your own project can run efficiently, smoothly, and successfully.

STEPS FOR ORGANIZING A STENCILING PROJECT

1. DETERMINE THE AREA AND SIZE OF YOUR PROJECT.

Naturally, the size and scope of your individual project will dictate the amount of supplies that you will need as well as the number of necessary organizational, implementation, administrative, and volunteer hours required to orchestrate such a project. Though some interested schools and groups may have the materials, support, and resources on-site, other groups may find that a grant is necessary in order to achieve your goals. Some groups to contact are your state EPA, Soil & Water Conservation Districts or local environmental or civic groups.

2. GAIN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP APPROVAL AND SUPPORT.

While securing funding for supplies and support, contact city officials for permission. We sent letters to mayors asking for support and to identify a city worker that could assist the project. Be prepared to give presentations about your stenciling project to city officials, councils or public works departments. In our experience, we received widespread approval. In addition to supporting the project, we also discovered that the new resources we had access to were most helpful. In most cases, city officials or public works departments offered supplies such as orange cones, volunteer hours, and city maps. Several cities were able to give us copies of detailed city maps that indicated the location of each storm sewer. These are the most helpful but we found that most cities did not have these type of maps available. One school in such a city was paid by their city to provide that information. In a number of cases, city workers went out for the first time and mapped the storm sewer sites.

3. RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS.

If your organization received grant funds, you already know which groups you will be appealing to for volunteer support. In our case, we received a $41,000 grant from the US EPA, Region V to work with our area schools. To recruit schools for the project, we sent letters to over 120 schools in our target area. Additionally, the letter asked for their support and commitment and invite them to a seminar which we organized to talk about NPS pollution and stenciling implementation. Representatives from the IL EPA , the IL DNR , and the Soil and Water Conservation District spoke about NPS pollution and their agency's role in preventing or eliminating it. Then, we distributed copies of our NPS pollution curriculum which was published by Ameritech and demonstrated a few of our activities and the stenciling process itself. Time was alloted at the end of the day for teachers and a representative from each town's government to talk about the stenciling project. We followed up with phone calls, visits, and letters.

Recruiting schools to participate, however, was only one part of the recruitment process. We also needed volunteers to help students and teachers with the stenciling project. Though most schools arranged for their own volunteers, we also coordinated volunteers. We looked to school administrators, parents, local agency staff, businesses, and local community members. Most of our volunteers were students' parents. They were an invaluable source of support and should be used whenever possible. Once we determined who would and would not participate, we called upon other community members and groups such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and church and civic groups to help us with stenciling the remainder of the targeted area. We immediately sent out the stenciling forms to participating organizations so that supplies could be requested and obtained.

4. SUPPLIES.

The supplies for this project are minimal.

  • · Latex traffic paint

  • · Wire brushes to clean the surface areas surrounding the storm sewer drains

  • · Stencil-making machine

  • · Cardboard stencil paper or plastic (cardboard paper is cheaper than plastic)

  • · Maps of the targeted areas (make copies of these so teachers can mark what they've done and you can keep track of what needs to be done)

  • · Bricks to hold down the stencils

  • · Scrap poster board to tape along the top, bottom, and sides of the stencils to prevent excess paint splatter

  • · Brightly colored traffic cones and signs to alert passersby and to increase visibility when working on busy streets

  • · Trash bags to pick up debris at the storm sewer and along the way

  • · Non-point source pollution activity

Some organizations will have more money than others to spend on supplies. One way to counter some of the cost of doing this project, especially if your organization does not have grant monies, is by soliciting donations for the necessities. The stenciling machine will be the biggest expense of this project. Be prepared for the cost if you cannot obtain one on loan. Because of a kind donation by the Marsh Company, a stenciling manufacturer, we were able to borrow a stencil making machine and receive stenciling paper at cost. We also loaned the stenciling machine to a local vocational school who taught their students how to use the machine and, in exchange, produced the stencils for us.

5. MEDIA.

If possible, begin by making flyers or brochures about what you are doing and why. Include information about NPS pollution, the human connection, and recycling hazardous waste such as motor oil. You can contact your state EPA, DNR, or Soil and Water Conservation District who will also have brochures that you can request. Distribute these ahead of time and while you are stenciling. Call local TV stations and newspapers and try to persuade them to cover your project.. You may want to prepare a press release that papers can publish.

6. THE STORM SEWER STENCILING PROCESS.

Schedule the timetable according to the number of student/volunteer groups you have and the number of storm sewer drains to be stenciled. Each drain takes about 5 minutes or less, which means that it takes longer to walk from drain to drain than it does to complete the stenciling process. The ideal conditions for stenciling storm sewer drains are a dry, clear, windless day so you will have greater control of the stencil and the paint. The storm sewer stenciling process is an easy one for most ages but don't be surprised by a mess or two along the way. Dress accordingly!! For more details check out our the storm sewer stenciling activity page.

· To begin, divide students into groups of 4 -5 with one adult supervisor per group. Hand out maps of the specific area in which each group will work. Go through the stenciling technique, rules for the day, and other relevant information.

· Upon reaching the first storm sewer drain, identify the area near the storm sewer drain on which you will stencil. This area should be on top of the drain, in front of the drain, or to the side of it, but as high and close to the drain as possible.

· Each surface location that will be painted needs to be cleaned of dust, dirt, or debris with the wire brush. The surface does not need to sparkle but the cleaner the surface, the better the paint will stick.

· Place the stencil securely on the cleaned surface. Bricks can be used to hold the stencil ends down. If bricks are unavailable, use a stick.

· Spray paint the stencil. Be neat! The latex traffic paint is an upside-down-release aerosol paint can. In order to achieve maximum results, the paint nozzle needs to be held about 6-8 inches away from the stencil and completely inverted. Lightly spray the paint onto the stencil by using a left- to-right, or vice versa, sweeping motion. The force of the spray should be light, consistent and constant to avoid excess paint covering and clogging the stencil. In addition, the spray paint can should not be held at an angle. This forces paint under the stencil which results in blurred or run-together letters that are not legible. If used properly, each stencil should last 15-20 applications; one or two cans of paint per group easily lasts all day.

· Remove the stencil. The paint dries quickly so the stencil should be ready to be removed immediately. If too much paint was applied, the stencil should sit for a few minutes.

· Repeat the steps as you stencil each storm sewer drain.

HELPFUL HINTS:

· The stenciling act is permanent. You cannot do it over. The mistakes you make will last the life of the paint - about 3 or 4 years.

· Supervisors working with elementary and middle school students will have to model the stenciling technique both initially and throughout the day. Accuracy and legibility are the goals but remember that the technique can be difficult for smaller hands and shorter arms.

· Supervisors working with high school students must pay closer attention to these students who are more prone to spraying graffiti on sidewalks, fences, streets, or cars.

· Implementing a NPS pollution curriculum with the stenciling activity is necessary when working with all students. Adults are able to make the connection between their actions and the quality of their drinking and recreation water but students, especially younger children, may not.

· Students do not always understand the connections between their actions and water quality. To illustrate this, obtain a copy of a map that identifies the exact water route to the river from each storm sewer drain. Students can trace or identify the path water takes from the drains that they will stencil to the river. Doing the mapping is highly recommended, so that the children can see the impact of their work.

· The storm sewer drain opening can be large. Be careful not to drop or lose supplies down the drain!

· Maps were an essential part of this project. Not only did the maps tell us the locations of all storm sewer drains in each city but they were also a great way to track our progress. Knowing which groups stenciled which drains made it easier for us to ensure that the rest were done.

· For more information and helpful hints check out our Before You Stencil page

This is an extremely enjoyable project, especially for younger students. Storm Sewer Stenciling Projects can be great fun for all who participate if your project is well organized. Hopefully, these steps will make organizing, implementing, and completing your own stenciling project enjoyable and successful. Remember, though, that the goals of the stenciling project are to increase the quality of your drinking and recreational water and restore natural habitats by reducing or eliminating NPS from your area rivers, streams, or lakes. Your project can do this most effectively by making your stenciled warning legible to all who pass the storm sewer drain. Since the completion of our project, we've noticed that the stenciled storm sewer drains are much cleaner. We hope that is a sign that people are making the connection!

We would like to acknowledge the help of Water Action Volunteers who initially supplied the information to us about doing our own stenciling project and for providing support materials. They gave us a jump start and we appreciate their assistance.