Storm Drain Marking Project

The storm drain marking project has two components:

• Gluing a marker that bears the message "NO DUMPING! DRAINS TO RIVER" to selected storm drains.
• Distributing door hangers which inform citizens of their impact on water quality.

If you or your group are interested in the storm drain marking project you should first contact Johnny Biggert for details regarding this project.

Johnny Biggert
Project Manager
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
(601) 961-5605

General Information:

• Six to eight weeks before the project begins, obtain written and signed permission from the county, town or city department that maintains the storm drains in your community (usually the city public works department or the mayor's office, or the state highway department). Provide them with the following information:
  • Who? Who is involved in the project and who is supervising it?
  • What? What will you be doing? What do the markers look like? What information do the door hangers convey? (Include samples, if possible.)
  • Where? What particular area or neighborhood would you like to mark?
  • When? When is the project going to take place? What is your rain date? What is your deadline for project approval?
  • Why? What is the purpose of your project? (To inform citizens that polluted runoff carried from city streets, residential yards, driveways, and parking lots drains directly to streams and other water bodies so residents can take action to protect our waters.)
• If necessary, follow up with a letter or phone call to the authorities. If you are interested in marking on federal or private property (e.g., a restaurant parking lot), be sure to get permission from the appropriate federal authority or landowner.
• Ask local businesses and civic groups to support your project. Community groups may be able to publicize your event or recruit volunteers for you. Businesses may donate refreshments, printing, publicity or money.
• Design and distribute a flyer to alert neighborhood residents about the project and educate them about polluted runoff. Include information on when, where, and why you are doing the storm drain marking, as well as the name and phone number of the project leader. Remember to acknowledge in the flyer any businesses or individuals that have made donations to your project.
• Contact local newspapers and radio stations about your project. Newspapers coverage would greatly increase the impact of your project! Can you get TV coverage as well? A sample press release and radio announcement are available in the kit.

Contact the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for further information, sample documents and supplies.