Home » How to Help » Storm Drain Stenciling

Storm Drain Stenciling

“Do not dump—drains to Casco Bay”

Our Storm Drain Stenciling Project is a hands-on way for you to “take to the streets” and create greater awareness about the need to reduce stormwater pollution in our communities. We lend our stenciling kits with supporting outreach materials to community groups at no charge. Become a local advocate for reducing pollution by painting “DO NOT DUMP” messages near storm drains. You will be helping us connect your neighborhood with the Bay.

How?

Storm Drain Stenciling Kits, including a how to guide and all the needed materials, are available to borrow from May 1 to October 15 each year. However, special conditions are needed to stencil. The temperature should be 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer, pavement should be warm and dry, and it can’t be too windy. 

There are two ways to take part in storm drain stenciling with Friends of Casco Bay:

  1. Gather your coworkers or group to volunteer with us at Friends of Casco Bay. Learn how here. 
  2. Host your own stenciling event. Individuals and small groups can borrow kits and organize your own stenciling event. We’ll provide a how to guide and materials. Fill out the form below to let us know you are interested in stenciling.

Why stencil storm drains?

Kids Storm Drain Stenciling
Stenciling storm drains is a great community service project. Photo from Friends School of Portland

Storm drains are a tempting place for some in our community to dump dangerous pollutants. A cigarette butt or pet waste thrown into one storm drain may seem like a small thing. But small actions add up, and Casco Bay suffers from the cumulative effects of these small injuries. When people pour hazardous wastes, such as household cleaners, unused paint, paint thinner, used oil, and lawn care chemicals, down a storm drain, they don’t realize that they may be dumping pollutants directly into the Bay.

Our Storm Drain Stenciling program lets people know where the stuff they dump down the drain actually goes!

Water washed down city streets during rain or snow melt flows into storm drains. Some of these drains empty directly into Casco Bay. Other storm drains are connected to the same pipes that carry household wastewater (including sewage) from bathrooms, sinks, and kitchens to a wastewater treatment plant. Even if these products reach the sewage treatment facility, the treatment process may not be able to remove the hazardous components.

Our Storm Drain Stenciling Kits offer the perfect hands-on activity for youth groups, scout troops, team-building exercises, and corporate volunteers days.

To borrow our Storm Drain Stenciling Kits, fill out our form.

Storm Drain Stenciling Kit Request

  • Please enter a number from 1 to 30.
    This helps use get you the right number of supplies.
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability Form This Release and Waiver of Liability (the “release”) executed on the date this form is completed by the volunteer ("Volunteer") who completes this form releases Friends of Casco Bay, a nonprofit corporation existing under the laws of the State of Maine, and each of their directors, officers, employees, and agents. The Volunteer desires to provide volunteer services for Friends of Casco Bay and engage in activities relating to serving as a volunteer to protect the environmental health of Casco Bay. Volunteer understands that the scope of Volunteer’s relationship with Friends of Casco Bay is limited to a volunteer position and that no compensation is expected in return for services provided by Volunteer; that Friends of Casco Bay will not provide any benefits traditionally associated with employment to Volunteer; and that Volunteer is responsible for his/her own insurance coverage in the event of personal injury or illness as a result of Volunteer’s service to Friends of Casco Bay.
    1. Waiver and Release: I, the Volunteer, release and forever discharge and hold harmless Friends of Casco Bay and their successors and assigns from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind of nature, either in law or in equity, which arise or may hereafter arise from the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay. I understand and acknowledge that this Release discharges Friends of Casco Bay from any liability or claim that I may have against Friends of Casco Bay with respect to bodily injury, personal injury, illness, death, or property damage that may result from the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay and occurring while I am providing volunteer services.
    2. Insurance: Further I understand that Friends of Casco Bay do not assume any responsibility for or obligation to provide me with financial or other assistance, including but not limited to medical, health or disability benefits or insurance of any nature in the event of my injury, illness, death or damage to my property. I expressly waive any such claim for compensation or liability on the part of Friends of Casco Bay beyond what may be offered freely by Friends of Casco Bay in the event of such injury or medical expenses incurred by me.
    3. Medical Treatment: I hereby Release and forever discharge Friends of Casco Bay from any claim whatsoever which arises or may hereafter arise on account of any first-aid treatment or other medical services rendered in connection with an emergency during my tenure as a volunteer with Friends of Casco Bay.
    4. Assumption of Risk: I understand that the services I provide to Friends of Casco Bay may include inherently dangerous activities that may be hazardous to me including, but not limited to water sampling and/or attending events that are near or on the ocean, slippery docks, rocks, piers, wharves, and boats. As a volunteer, I hereby expressly assume the risk of injury or harm from these activities and release Friends of Casco Bay from all liability for injury, illness, death, or property damage resulting from the services I provide as a volunteer and occurring while I am providing volunteer services.
    5. Photographic Release: I grant and convey to Friends of Casco Bay all rights, title, and interests in any and all photographs, images, video, or audio recordings of me or my likeness or voice made by Friends of Casco Bay in connection with my providing volunteer services to Friends of Casco Bay.
    6. Email Signup: We would like to contact you from time to time to tell you about important updates about the health of Casco Bay, special events, and how you can support our mission. Please opt in to receiving these updates by sharing your email address below. You can opt out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe links at the bottom of each email.
    7. Other: As a volunteer, I expressly agree that this Release is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws of the State of Maine and that this Release shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine. I agree that in the event that any clause or provision of this Release is deemed invalid, the enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Release shall not be affected.
    By completing this form and checking the box below, I express my understanding and intent to enter into this Release and Waiver of Liability willingly and voluntarily.

Learn more about Storm Drain Stenciling and Stormwater:

After a rainstorm, millions of gallons of polluted stormwater pour into Casco Bay.

A Major Victory to Reduce One of The Largest Sources of Pollution to Casco Bay

February 10, 2022

As the Clean Water Act turns 50, Friends of Casco Bay celebrates new permit to reduce stormwater pollution. Stormwater is one of the largest sources of pollution into Casco Bay. Yet, until this year, Maine has not required clear, specific, and measurable terms in the permit that controls discharges from… Read more

Our top 10 moments of 2020

January 4, 2021

As this very odd year comes to a close, let’s celebrate the large and small ways our community helped us protect the health of Casco Bay in 2020. Here are our top ten for the year: 1.) On December 2, the Maine Climate Council released its four-year Climate Action Plan, “Maine Won’t Wait.” We… Read more

Storm drains are more important than you may think

October 15, 2020

People walk past storm drains every day without giving them a thought. Yet, storm drains deserve our attention. Storm drains are designed to help prevent flooding by diverting rainwater from our streets and parking lots into a natural body of water. But when storm drains are clogged or misused, they… Read more

Luke’s Lobster & Allagash team up with us for a Back Cove Cleanup on May 11, 2019

April 24, 2019

This event is limited to 60 participants, and we have reached that limit. Please consider signing up as a volunteer here: https://www.cascobay.org/about-us/volunteer. Can you think of a better combination than lobster, beer, and the Bay? On Saturday, May 11, Friends of Casco Bay, Luke’s Lobster, and Allagash Brewing are teaming… Read more

Storm Drain Stenciling

Friends of Casco Bay Volunteers Take to the Streets—and the Beach

October 12, 2017

This past summer, volunteers undertook several community service projects to help keep Casco Bay clean. Thank you to TD Green Team, the Leadership Development Program at Windsor Mountain Summer Camp, IDEXX, and Yelp for cleaning up our coastline. Thank you to Bowdoin Women’s lacrosse team, RBC, and Mark Edwards and… Read more