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THE NELSON FAMILY of Bath, also representing local Cub Scout Troop 621, work as a team to position a stencil during the Bath Community Storm Drain Stenciling Blitz.
THE NELSON FAMILY of Bath, also representing local Cub Scout Troop 621, work as a team to position a stencil during the Bath Community Storm Drain Stenciling Blitz.
BATH

Thanks to students, volunteers and a little bit of paint, an important message of ecology is making its way around downtown.

This 11-inch-by-17-inch message is accented by a fish and clam and calls out in white letters: “Keep It Clean. Drains To River.”

The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust and local partners are spreading the news that what goes down our storm drains can pollute the Kennebec River by engaging students in stenciling of local storm drains on April 21.

FROM LEFT, Leslie Trundy, Thomas Trundy, and Karl Shumaker apply paint to a stencil in Bath.
FROM LEFT, Leslie Trundy, Thomas Trundy, and Karl Shumaker apply paint to a stencil in Bath.
Land trust officials said a majority of the more than 1,500 storm drains in the city of Bath channel their water directly into rivers and streams without any treatment. Pollutants such as antifreeze, lawn fertilizer, road salt, motor oil, pet waste, cigarette butts and litter tossed or picked up by rain or snow melt can be carried down a storm drain and end up in the Kennebec River or one of its tributaries.

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A flurry of activity that led to the stenciling of 125 drains over five days in April marks only the beginning of a community effort to identify the link between streets, sidewalks, parking lots and lawns with clean water in our storm drain system, said Becky Kolak, a Kennebec Estuary Land Trust organizer.

“Storm drain stenciling is a nationally used public educational tool, providing a friendly reminder to community members and visitors of the inseparable link between our urban landscape and our water,” Kolak said.

The project started with partnerships between the land trust and schools.

At Hyde School, Jen Liu’s environmental studies class stenciled seven drains around the school, studied storm drain maps and discussed the effects of storm water runoff on the school’s campus and Bath community.

At Bath Middle School, Monica Wright’s eighth-grade literacy class split into three teams to stencil 15 drains on and around the middle school campus.

Kennebec Estuary Land Trust also hosted a “stenciling community blitz” at the Bath Freight Shed Alliance’s community room, where teams of volunteers formed to stencil drains throughout downtown. Nine teams participated and stenciled more than 100 drains, Kolak said.

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One team — comprised of Leslie, Thomas and Clare Trundy, and Karl Shumaker — stenciled more than 50 drains.

“I thought it was a fun experience and a good reminder to people not to litter,” said Thomas Trundy, 11.

“We had a beautiful day,” said his mother, Leslie Trundy, “and the kids and I enjoyed being out and giving back. Now as I walk around Bath, I can see all the places the kids left their mark. We would definitely help again.”

The Davenport Trust Fund supported the project, and the kits were funded by Wilson’s Drug Store, Brackett’s Market, Wags & Whiskers and Ornament Home & Garden Store.

This summer, KELT will have stencil kits available for community members to borrow for stenciling other storm drains throughout Bath.

For more information, call Kolak at 442-8400 or emial bkolak@kennebecestuary.org.


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