How to Create a Storm Drain Awareness Activity

Storm drains help move rainwater away from streets, but the water they carry can also transport litter, oil, soil, fertilizer, and other pollutants into local waterways. A storm drain awareness activity makes that connection visible and gives participants practical actions they can use at home, at school, or in the neighborhood.

What the activity should teach

A strong activity should answer three basic questions:

1. Where does rainwater go after it falls on a street, parking lot, roof, or yard?
2. What can rainwater pick up along the way?
3. How can people reduce the pollution that enters storm drains?

Storm drains are part of a drainage system designed to reduce flooding by carrying runoff away from paved surfaces. In many communities, stormwater receives little or no treatment before reaching a ditch, creek, lake, bay, or other water body. The exact system varies by location, so avoid promising that every drain flows directly to a particular destination. If you are leading the activity in Clearwater, use local maps, municipal educational materials, or information from the appropriate water-management agency to explain the local route accurately.

The goal is not to make participants afraid of ordinary rain. It is to help them recognize that small, repeated choices—picking up pet waste, keeping leaves out of the street, fixing vehicle leaks, and using lawn products carefully—can reduce the amount of pollution carried by runoff.

Choose an activity format

You can run one activity or combine several short demonstrations. Select the format based on the age of the group, available space, weather, and time.

Option 1: Runoff pathway demonstration

This is the simplest format. Participants examine a neighborhood map or a hand-drawn street scene and trace the path of rain from a roof or road to a storm drain and then to a receiving water body.

Use this when you have 15–30 minutes, limited materials, or a group that benefits from discussion rather than a physical model.

Option 2: Tabletop stormwater model

A model shows how water moves across different surfaces. A tilted tray, shallow box, or piece of corrugated plastic can represent a small neighborhood. Add foil or plastic for pavement, a sponge or towel for grass, small cups for buildings, and a container at the lower edge to collect runoff.

Use this when you want participants to compare permeable and impervious surfaces or observe how pollutants move.

Option 3: Storm drain message activity

Participants design a small sign, sidewalk message, poster, or social-media graphic explaining that storm drains are connected to the local drainage system and should not be used for dumping.

Use this for an art class, community event, youth program, or follow-up activity after a science demonstration. If messages will be painted or attached near public infrastructure, obtain permission first and follow local rules.

Option 4: Neighborhood observation walk

Participants look for storm drains, curb inlets, puddles, litter, leaf piles, sediment, or signs of vehicle fluid leaks from a safe public area. They record observations without touching unknown materials or entering the roadway.

Use this only when adult supervision, weather, accessibility, and traffic conditions allow it. An indoor photo-based observation activity is a safer alternative.

Gather supplies

Most versions require inexpensive household or classroom materials:

• A shallow tray, baking pan, storage bin lid, or cardboard box lined with plastic
• A cup, bowl, or jar to collect runoff
• Water in a spray bottle, measuring cup, or small watering can
• Aluminum foil, wax paper, plastic sheet, sponge, towel, soil, sand, or craft foam
• Small blocks or cups to represent buildings
• Clean pebbles, craft sticks, or paper scraps to represent streets and litter
• A washable marker and paper for labels
• A local or simplified stormwater map
• Towels for spills
• Optional: food coloring, cocoa powder, clean soil, or a small amount of vegetable oil for demonstrations

Use only materials that can be safely contained and collected. Do not pour demonstration water into a storm drain, on a sidewalk, or into a natural waterway. Food coloring can stain surfaces and should be used sparingly. Never use real motor oil, pesticides, household cleaners, sewage, animal waste, or unknown substances in a demonstration.

Plan the lesson

Before gathering the group, decide what participants should be able to do by the end. A useful objective might be: “Participants can describe how runoff reaches a storm drain, identify at least three pollutants, and name two actions that reduce stormwater pollution.”

Prepare a short sequence:

1. Ask what happens to rain after it lands on a street.
2. Introduce the difference between stormwater and wastewater in simple terms.
3. Build or display the model.
4. Run clean-water and polluted-runoff demonstrations.
5. Discuss prevention actions.
6. Give participants a chance to create a message or solve a local scenario.
7. Check understanding with a few questions.

Keep the explanation short before the demonstration. People usually understand the system more easily after they see water move. For younger children, use the words “rainwater,” “street,” “drain,” and “waterway.” For older students, introduce terms such as runoff, impervious surface, infiltration, erosion, and pollutant load.

Build a simple tabletop model

Follow these steps for a basic model:

1. Create a slope. Place one end of the tray on a book or block so water can move toward the lower edge. Make sure the tray is stable.
2. Add land surfaces. Cover part of the tray with foil or plastic to represent pavement. Leave another section covered with a sponge, towel, soil, or craft foam to represent a planted area.
3. Add neighborhood features. Place cups or blocks on the model as buildings. Use craft sticks to mark roads and a small cup at the lower edge as the storm drain or collection point.
4. Label the parts. Mark the road, lawn, building, storm drain, and receiving water body. A label can clarify that the collection cup represents water leaving the model, not necessarily a real drain in every location.
5. Run clean water first. Spray or pour a small amount of water near the upper edge. Ask participants to predict which surface will produce more runoff and where the water will collect.
6. Add representative pollutants. Place a few clean paper scraps, a pinch of soil, or a tiny amount of cocoa powder on the road. Run water again and observe what moves.
7. Compare results. Repeat with a planted or absorbent section. Discuss how vegetation and soil can slow water, encourage infiltration, and trap some sediment, while paved surfaces generally produce faster runoff.
8. Clean up completely. Collect all materials, wipe the tray, and dispose of demonstration water according to local guidance. Do not send colored or contaminated water into a drain.

The model is a teaching aid, not a precise engineering simulation. Its slope, surface materials, and water volume are simplified. Explain that real drainage systems include pipes, channels, inlets, detention areas, soil layers, and other features that vary by site.

Demonstrate pollution without creating pollution

A useful demonstration should show movement and connection, not imitate a hazardous spill. Use clean, controlled substitutes.

For litter, place a few pieces of paper on the model road and observe whether water carries them toward the collection point. For sediment, use a small amount of clean soil or sand. For organic debris, use a few dry leaves. For a visual color marker, add one drop of washable food coloring to a separate cup of water and use it only on a protected surface.

Explain that real runoff may contain substances that are not visible. Clear water can still carry dissolved nutrients, bacteria, metals, or other contaminants. Conversely, a colored demonstration does not mean every pollutant looks colorful in real life.

You can also compare prevention strategies:

• Remove the paper scraps before adding water.
• Place a sponge or strip of towel near the lower edge to represent a vegetated buffer.
• Add a small planted area to the model.
• Cover the soil gently with mulch or leaves and discuss how ground cover can reduce erosion.
• Change the amount of pavement and compare the speed and volume of runoff.

These comparisons help participants see that prevention happens before pollution reaches the drain.

Add a problem-solving game

Give small groups scenario cards and ask them to choose the best response. Examples include:

• A neighbor is washing a car in a driveway. The group suggests using a commercial car wash or directing wash water away from the street when appropriate.
• Leaves have collected around a curb inlet. The group identifies a safe way to remove them if local rules permit, while avoiding traffic and never reaching into the drain.
• A vehicle has a leaking fluid. The group recommends avoiding contact, keeping people and pets away, and contacting the vehicle owner or appropriate local service.
• Fertilizer is needed for a lawn. The group suggests following the product label, avoiding application before heavy rain, and keeping material off pavement.
• A dog-walking area has pet waste. The group identifies prompt pickup and proper disposal as the responsible action.

Emphasize that participants should not attempt to clean up unknown spills, chemicals, sewage, broken glass, or large accumulations. They should report hazards through the appropriate local channel.

Create an awareness message

After the demonstration, ask each participant to create a short message aimed at a real audience. A good message is specific, positive, and easy to understand.

Possible themes include:

• “Only rain belongs in the storm drain.”
• “Keep leaves and litter out of the street.”
• “Pick up pet waste before rain carries it away.”
• “Protect local water one driveway at a time.”
• “Stormwater choices start at home.”

Ask participants to include one action rather than a vague statement such as “Save the environment.” They can make a poster, door hanger, table card, classroom sign, or digital graphic. Review every message for accuracy and avoid claiming that one action solves all stormwater problems.

If the group wants to mark a storm drain, contact the city or property owner first. Some locations have approved markers, designs, installation methods, or volunteer programs. Never glue, paint, attach, or place materials on public infrastructure without authorization.

Use this quick reference table

Problem observed	Safer awareness message	Appropriate response
Litter near a curb	Keep trash out of streets and drains	Pick it up only when safe and dispose of it properly
Leaves blocking an inlet	Keep yard debris out of the roadway	Remove safely if permitted; otherwise report the obstruction
Pet waste	Pick up waste before rain moves it	Bag and dispose of it according to local guidance
Vehicle fluid leak	Keep oil and chemicals away from runoff	Avoid contact and report or arrange qualified cleanup
Fertilizer on pavement	Apply products carefully and follow labels	Sweep granules back onto the intended area, not into the street

Adapt the activity for different groups

For preschool and early elementary participants, use large visual pieces, short demonstrations, and a simple “where does the water go?” question. Avoid small parts that may be swallowed and keep the activity highly supervised.

For upper elementary and middle school students, compare pavement and planted surfaces, measure the amount of water collected, or have students draw a local runoff map. They can also discuss why flooding and water-quality problems may have different causes.

For high school or adult groups, add land-use planning, maintenance responsibilities, drainage-system limitations, and the difference between individual actions and infrastructure solutions. Participants can research local stormwater regulations or identify questions for a municipal public-works department.

For an accessible version, use large-print labels, tactile materials, verbal descriptions, and a stable table-height model. Offer a seated observation role, and provide alternatives to walking outdoors. Do not make participation depend on seeing color; explain the results verbally and use texture, movement, labels, or measured volumes as additional cues.

Troubleshoot common problems

The water does not move. Increase the slope slightly, reduce the amount of water, or remove material blocking the path. Check that the tray is level from side to side.

Everything gets too wet. Use a spray bottle, work over a waterproof table covering, and test the model before the group arrives. Keep towels nearby.

The model looks unrealistic. Explain that it is a simplified model. Add labels and focus on the relationship between surfaces, runoff, drains, and receiving waters rather than exact pipe design.

Participants think storm drains clean the water. Clarify that storm drains primarily collect and convey runoff; treatment depends on the local system. Do not make a universal claim about where a particular drain leads.

The activity becomes a litter hunt. Set boundaries before beginning. Participants should not enter roads, touch drains, handle unknown substances, or collect hazardous debris.

The message becomes too general. Ask, “What should someone do differently tomorrow?” Revise the message until it names one practical behavior.

Check understanding and follow up

End with three quick questions:

• What is runoff?
• Name two things rainwater can carry from a street or yard.
• What is one action that helps keep pollutants out of storm drains?

For a follow-up, ask participants to inspect their own home, school, or workplace for one improvement, such as moving trash bins away from curb flow, keeping leaves off pavement, checking for leaks, or identifying where yard water collects. Encourage them to verify local rules before changing drainage, installing a rain garden, removing debris from public infrastructure, or disposing of any spill.

The most effective storm drain awareness activity connects a visible demonstration with a realistic next step. When participants understand that stormwater moves through the built environment and carries whatever it encounters, they can make better decisions before the next rainfall.