Be River SmART is a three-year collaborative initiative between Friends of the Rivers and Fort Wayne City Utilities. Clean Drains is an education and community outreach/engagement initiative that uses art to convey the message… only rain in the drain! Get involved today to protect our rivers!
Why Protect Our Rivers?
Fort Wayne’s vibrant riverfront and waterways are essential to the region’s high quality of place. It is important for the Fort Wayne community to learn about and engage in protecting our city’s three rivers from pollutants.
Fort Wayne is connected to its three rivers through a network of storm drains (23,000) located along the city’s streets throughout its urban core and outlying neighborhoods. This maze-like system of drains and sewer pipes move water away from the streets and sidewalks and into the rivers.
If this critical water passage system is not protected then pollutants, chemical run off and solid waste that enters any of the city’s storm drains will make its way directly into our rivers and will have a negative impact on this vital and precious natural resource.