Tampa Bay Artists Turn Storm Drains into Pollution Art

Local artists transformed storm drains into vibrant murals across Sulphur Springs and surrounding areas Thursday, aiming to raise awareness about pollution flowing into local waterways. Volunteers from Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful joined more than 20 artists for the project, which focused on 25 storm drains.

The murals serve as a visual warning, illustrating how trash, motor oil, fertilizers and pesticides dumped on streets can directly enter bays and rivers through the storm drain system. “Storm drains are a direct connection between our neighborhoods and our waterways,” said Kristina Moreta, executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. “By bringing art into these spaces, we hope to capture people’s attention and encourage them to think twice about what they put on the ground or down a storm drain.”

The artwork was completed between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. in an area that has long struggled with litter. Community planning data for the City of Tampa’s Sulphur Springs Neighborhood Action Plan indicates 64% of surveyed residents identified environmental damage, including litter and illegal dumping, as a top neighborhood priority.

Debris left on streets travels via stormwater into the Hillsborough River and ultimately Tampa Bay, impacting areas from the heart of Tampa to rural Hillsborough County. Last year, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful reported over 24,000 volunteers removed more than 372,000 pounds of litter across the county. The organization also installed 700 storm drain markers in other neighborhoods.

Moreta said the project aims to show how everyday choices impact water quality. The permanent artwork hopes to prompt residents to pause before littering and contribute to keeping Tampa Bay clean for all communities along its shores.