About those catch basin stencils on East Village streets

We've fielded questions this month about the stenciled messages — "This is not a trash can" — that have arrived on catch basins all around the neighborhood in recent weeks. 

Like crop circles, there were too many of them, too perfect, to be any kind of, say, guerilla art project. 

Anyway, turns out the city is behind the messaging on the catch basins (aka storm drains or sewer grates). 

And thanks to Jonas for this photo ... showing a DEP worker in stenciling action the other day...

So yeah, you're not supposed to dump anything down these (cooking grease, oil, construction waste, sewage, etc.) Will the messaging deter the catch-basin dumpers?