Want to improve water quality in the Mississippi River or a nearby lake? Then Adopt-a-drain!
This program relies on volunteers to keep trash out of stormwater drains near where they live. A couple of 15-minute sessions, twice a month is all it takes.
Won’t this be just a drop in the bucket? So far, more than 100 tons of debris have been kept out of our waters by the nearly 6,000 residents who have cared for their 10,000 adoptees.
And these aren’t nameless portholes to the storm sewer system. Sir-Drain-a-Lot, Myrtle, Chuck, Flo, Purple Drain. You can name your drain!
The program began in 2014 with support from the city of Saint Paul, the Capitol Region Watershed and the Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University. It’s now in 75 cities.
Learn more at Adopt-a-drain.org, find orphan drains near your address, and sign up! You’ll receive tips on how to clean safely and you can upload your stories and photos.
Submitted by Michael Russelle, a St. Anthony Park Community Council board member and a member of District 12’s Environment Committee.
