Be a water hero: Adopt a local drain or two

Do you ever think about those drains along your street? The water, and everything else, that enters those grated drains flows through pipes directly into our lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and wetlands. If too much debris enters, the drain can clog and cause flooding.

By volunteering just 15 minutes once or twice a month to sweep up, rake up or pick up whatever is in the drain(s) you adopt, you become a hero in the effort to keep our drains flowing and our water clean.

Ready to be your street’s water hero? Visit Minnesota’s Adopt-A-Drain program at mn.adopt-a-drain.org. Find your street and select the drains you want to adopt. Don’t forget to review tips on safety and drain clearing and report the estimated pounds of drain debris you collect.

In Bloomington last year, more than 454 Adopt-A-Drain volunteers adopted 776 drains and stopped more than 4,500 lbs. of debris from entering water bodies in Bloomington. Thank you for your service! Keep reporting your impressive numbers!