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An Award-winning National Clean-Water Program
An Award-winning National Clean-Water Program
Adopt-a-Drain is a community engagement program aimed at protecting local waterways. Residents "adopt" a drain, give it a name, remove debris from the drain, and report their cleaning activities. By working together, communities can keep their water clean and reduce street flooding.
Adopt-a-Drain was developed by the Center for Global Environmental Education and the Metro Watershed Partners in 2014. The program is based on extensive research and best practices in environmental psychology and behavior change and was refined through focus groups with residents and local water organizations. In 2024, Adopt-a-Drain was awarded the Public Communication & Outreach Program by the Water Environment Federation.
The program has been implemented in over 170 jurisdictions across the country and engaged more than 20,000 people leading to over 1,000,000 lbs of debris being kept from our local bodies of water.
Bring Adopt-a-Drain to your community!
Bring Adopt-a-Drain to your community!
Engage residents to adopt storm drains to keep neighborhoods clean and protect waterways. Aligned with best practices in social science, our MS4-compliant program partners with cities, counties, watershed districts and other organizations to inspire stewardship and behavior change to prevent run-off pollution and reduce localized flooding. Learn more about becoming a partner.
Join one of our Introduction to Adopt-a-Drain webinars to learn more about the award-winning program, how the program can help you meet your MS4 education and outreach requirements, and how easy it is to participate. We're also happy to set up a one on one meeting to talk through the program.
Upcoming webinars:
Wed., Dec. 17, 1 pm CT
Wed., Jan. 14, 1 pm CT
Tues., Feb. 17, 3 pm CT
Tues., Mar 17, 3 pm CT
Wed., Apr 22, 1 pm CT
Adopt-a-Drain K-12
Adopt-a-Drain K-12
Bring Adopt-a-Drain to the Classroom
Bring Adopt-a-Drain to the Classroom
Introducing the Adopt-a-Drain K-12 program. Printed materials, online resources, and professional support to help K-12 educators flexibly integrate this program into their own curriculum, school, and community.
Check out our new book, "Drainy Days"! Based on real adventures of a dedicated group of Adopt-a-Drain students and teachers in Minneapolis Public Schools.
Adopt-a-Drain in the News
Adopt-a-Drain in the News
Minneapolis Celebrates Major Environmental Win with Over One Million Pounds of Debris Cleared in Adopt-a-Drain Initiative. Hoodline, Nov 15, 2025.
Adopt-A-Drain Program Could Help Save Impaired Waterways in Robbinsdale. CCX Media, Oct 17, 2025
Community Engagement and Storm Drain Stewardship with Adopt-a-Drain.org. Ann Zawistoski and Sofie Wicklund. Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation, Sep 2025.
Adopt a drain to protect local waterways from stormwater. KUTV, Sep 29, 2025
Rochester sees hundreds joining 'Adopt a Storm Drain'. KTTC, Jul 15, 2025
Protect your community, one drain at a time. Longfellow Messenger, Jun 28, 2025
Adopt-a-Drain is awarded the Water Environment Federation's 2024 Public Communication and Outreach Program Award.
City of Niceville is awarded the Florida Stormwater Association's 2024 Excellence award in Public Education Effort for their Adopt-a-Drain program.
Storm Drain Spotlight, The Watershed Podcast, We Are Water MN, Apr. 25, 2024.
Thousands of Minnesotans adopt storm drains for cleaner waterways, neighborhoods, WCCO CBS Minnesota, Oct. 16, 2023.
‘Model for New Jersey’: Westfield Earns State Award for ‘Adopt-a-Drain’ Program, Tap Into Westfield, Apr. 9, 2023.
‘It’s Draining Men’: When Citizens Name Municipal Fixtures, the Puns Flow Freely, Wall Street Journal, Mar. 6, 2023.
Minnesota (n)Ice: We lead the way in storm drain adoptions, Kare11, Jan. 20, 2023.
Storm Drain Adoption Programs in the United States
Storm Drain Adoption Programs in the United States
Read our 2022 report about Storm Drain Adoption programs in the United States.
Some of our findings:
Over 170 active programs in the United States
86 programs are run by CGEE's Adopt-a-Drain
Minneapolis, MN has the highest number of drains adopted.
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