Storm drains in Saint Paul drain to local lakes and the Mississippi River. A new program, Adopt a Drain, asks residents to adopt a drain in their neighborhood and commit to keeping it clear of leaves and other debris to reduce water pollution.
Adopting a drain in your neighborhood is easy! Go to Adopt-a-Drain.org, enter your address and choose a drain near your house. Hundreds of Saint Paul residents are already signed up!
Once you’ve adopted your drain, keep it clean by sweeping and raking up the debris after each rain or during leaf fall.
Residents who sign up at Adopt-a-Drain.org will get an attractive garden sign delivered to their front yard, and a packet in the mail outlining the program, along with six things everyone can do on their property to protect local lakes and streams.
Adopt a Drain is a project of the City of Saint Paul, Hamline University, and Capitol Region Watershed District.
How to adopt a drain
1. Sign up here:
- Sign in with your name and email address
- Enter your street address to search for a storm drain
- Choose your storm drain and give it a name
2. Keep your storm drain clear
Once you have adopted "your" storm drain, sweep and rake the leaves and other debris from the surface of the drain year-round and dispose of it properly.
3. Post a small sign in your yard
We’ll mail you a small, attractive yard sign. Put it in your yard to let your neighbors know you’re protecting clean water. We’ll also send a list of things you and your neighbors can do in your own yards to keep pollution out of our lakes and rivers. If anyone asks, let them know how they can do their part!
Safety comes first
Please use caution. While we want to keep our streets and water clean, we also want you to be safe. Use good sense.
