CLEAN DRAINS

Be River SMart

Only Rain in the Drain!

A woman kneeling on the ground paining an otter for Clean Drains Fort Wayne

Clean Drains: Be River SmART was a three-year collaborative initiative by Friends of the Rivers and Fort Wayne City Utilities to educate and engage the community to protect the city’s waterways. The program worked with local artists who painted messages near storm sewers throughout the city to convey this vital message: "Only Rain in the Drain!"

Fort Wayne’s vibrant riverfront and its three rivers are vital to the region’s quality of life, making it critical to prevent pollutants, chemical runoff, and solid waste from entering the storm drains. With over 23,000 storm drains connecting the city to the rivers, contamination in this system directly impacts these valuable natural resources. Through education and community involvement, Clean Drains highlighted the importance of safeguarding this critical water passageway to preserve the health and sustainability of Fort Wayne’s rivers.

Currently, Clean Drains: Be River SmART is managed by the City of Fort Wayne, which continues its mission to safeguard waterways and promote environmental stewardship. Please visit the City of Fort Wayne website for more information about this ongoing initiative.

Painting by a storm drain of a squid with the words "careful, all water leads to the sea".
Painting by a storm drain of a otter with books with the words "You otter be smart".
Painting by a storm drain of a river with trees around it with the words "solo lluvia en el desagüe"
A painting by a storm drain of four cartoon fish with the words "Keep the fish a jumpin' - Don't you be a dumpin'"
A painting by a storm drain of a blue mermaid with the words "only rain in the drain"
A young boy painting a mural by a storm drain of aquatic animals.
A painting by a storm drain of a mermaid and a clam shell with a pearl, with the words "Keep our neighboorhood cute and clean"
A painting by a storm drain of a narwhal with the words "only rain in the drain. "
A painting by a storm drain of a cartoon frog with the words "Keep the frogs a jumpin' - Don't you be a dumpin'."