You may notice new bright and colorful murals surrounding a number of Mid-Michigan storm drains in your community by the end of this summer.
One of these new murals surrounds a storm drain near Wells Hall on Michigan State University’s campus. The artwork features colorful fish and bright blue water droplets. The words “Keep our Water Clean” are painted within a puddle.
Illustrator Victoria Ericks painted the mural on campus, and others like one near the East Lansing Aquatic Center that features native Michigan turtles.
“Each mural has different animals, and they’re all themed from Michigan and it shows which exact ones are affected by the pollution,” Ericks said.
These installations are a part of a larger project called ArtStorm 2025. By the end of the summer, there will be 17 of them dotted around Mid-Michigan.
Program manager Amanda Hathaway Frattarelli says they’re designed to educate the public about where the water and debris that flows down a storm drain ends up.
“Our storm drains drain directly to our lakes, rivers and streams, in most cases that’s unfiltered water,” Hathaway Frattarelli said.
70% of water pollution is caused by rain and storm water runoff according to the Environmental Protection Agency, she said.
Ericks says as she’s painted her mural, people often stop and ask her what she’s doing, already starting those conservations about water pollution and storm drains.
“Me and the other artists being out there creating these murals in person has just been a wonderful, community building activity,” Ericks said.
All of the murals are expected to be completed by the end of next month.
This story was brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
