You may not have a stream running next to your property or a pond in your backyard, but the stretch of asphalt with concrete gutters in your front yard connects directly to all the waterways in our community.

The storm drainage system whisks away rainwater from your property, emptying into a nearby stream. The stream drains to a river. You and your neighbors drink and bathe in treated water from the river. Unfortunately, besides protecting your neighborhood, storm drains can carry polluting chemicals into the river as well.

Don't use storm drains as a dumping place for paint, leaves, antifreeze or oil. Unlike drains in your home, street inlets are not connected to a sewage treatment system. Chemicals improperly disposed of in the storm drainage system threaten rivers and streams that benefit us all.

If you or your group would like to help us provide a reminder of the importance of protecting our precious natural resources by stenciling storm inlets in your neighborhood, call Jim Twigg, special projects coordinator, at 913/895-6273.