Dear Teachers,

Thank you very much for participating in the District’s Storm Water Drain Marking Program.  Through this initiative, you and your students are helping our schools contribute to a cleaner environment.

Non-point source pollution is the primary cause of watershed pollution today. Non-point source is small amounts of pollution from a large variety of sources that is picked up by storm water runoff and carried into water bodies.

Storm water runoff can carry many different types of non-point source pollution. Each can affect our watershed in different ways. Excess nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, can come from lawn fertilizers or other natural sources, and can cause algal and bacterial blooms. Local waterbodies and beaches can be closed due to Pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms that can be carried by storm water into our local water bodies.

At our schools, debris such as plastic bags, bottles and styrofoam cups can wash into a water body and interfere with aquatic life. It also isn’t very pretty. Other hazardous wastes can be carried into a water body including insecticides, herbicides, paint, motor oil and heavy metals. All of these items are commonly found in most parking lots and can cause illness not only to aquatic life, but also to humans.

Only rain is allowed by law to go into storm water drains, everything else is illegal.

Storm drain marking is a great way to increase awareness in your community of nonpoint source pollution and runoff. Storm drain markers are an educational tool to remind students, parents, and the community about the connection between storm drains and our local water resources.

There are two ways to participate:

Schedule a classroom visit to education students on the hazardous and effects of stormwater pollution and mark your school campus drains. Contact: Jmccart@pasco.k12.fl.us  or use the following presentation and do it yourself. You will still need to contact Josh McCart for supplies (GPS, Maps, drain markers and glue).

http://prezi.com/nb7yjmmq2j3f/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Follow these steps with either process

1. (1)  Talk to your plant manager about your plan to mark the storm drains at your school

2. (2)  Have your students explore the school property and determine how many covers you will need (1 per storm drain)

3. (3)  Have your students get a map (from the plant manager) or create a map indicating the storm drain locations.

4. (4) Send us the map indicating where the covers will be placed and we will send you the markers and adhesive (free).

5. (5) Place the markers

6. (6)Take pictures of the event and send them to us to post to the Website!

For more information on this program, please contact Josh McCart