Forsyth County commissioners honor winners of storm drain art contest

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners used a regular meeting in Cumming to highlight a problem residents see every day but often overlook, storm drains that send runoff straight into local waterways. The board recognized the winners of the 2026 Storm Drain Art Contest, a county effort that ties student artwork to water quality, neighborhood streets and the public’s role in keeping pollution out of the drainage system.

This year’s winners were Evana Deivasankar and Mishri Patel, both of South Forsyth High School, and Arsh Pulavarthi of South Forsyth Middle School. Each received $100 and a certificate of recognition, and their artwork was painted on designated storm drains outside their schools. The commissioners made the recognition during their May 21 regular meeting in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room at 110 East Main Street in Cumming.

The contest was the fifth annual Storm Drain Art Contest and was hosted by Keep Forsyth County Beautiful and the Forsyth County Department of Water & Sewer. It opened on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, and accepted submissions until 5 p.m. on Friday, March 13. Only current Forsyth County middle and high school students were eligible, and winners were selected by a review panel.

County officials said the project is designed to educate residents about watershed health and water quality. The county’s explanation is straightforward: rainwater moving across streets, parking lots and other hard surfaces can collect trash, chemicals, pet waste, motor oil, yard clippings, sediment and fertilizers. Those pollutants are washed into storm drains, which lead directly to rivers, lakes and streams.

Tammy Keaton, the county environmental programs manager, said the contest is intended to help residents understand watershed health and the importance of keeping waterways clear of litter, yard clippings and chemicals. The art contest gives that message a visual presence in places students and families pass every day, turning storm drains into reminders of where runoff goes and what it can carry with it.

The county has used the program as a recurring outreach tool, not a one-time event. Forsyth County previously identified 2025 winners as Saanvi Bodhireddy of Denmark High School, Amy Jing of Lambert High School and Namrata Joshi of South Forsyth Middle School. With the 2026 winners now recognized by county commissioners, the program has moved from classroom submission to public artwork and formal county acknowledgment, linking student participation to a broader effort to protect Forsyth’s waterways.