Adopt-a-Drain: The Civic Duty You’ve Never Heard Of

Imagine this: You walk by a storm drain and know it like an old friend – because this year, it’s your responsibility. To the average person, that might sound like a burden. But to you, a ‘Burger with a sense of duty to your community, it’s the ultimate love letter to the city.

Starting this summer, the City of St. Petersburg is launching the Adopt-a-Drain program, which allows residents and organizations to “adopt” a local drain of their choosing and commit to keeping it clear for a year.

“It’s our newest program, and really it relies on volunteerism from our community,” said Ivan Fountain, a neighborhood specialist for the City of St. Petersburg. “We already have about 35 on our waitlist to begin.”

In St. Pete, stormwater drains, which you’ll typically find on the side of roads, flow directly into the waterways, canals, lakes, and eventually, Tampa Bay. “That’s why it’s so important,” Fountain said. “The water here – that’s our tourism, that’s our workforce.”

What’s a Storm Drain?

You’ve seen them, but likely their below-ground world is a mystery. A stormwater drain collects water that doesn’t sink into the ground and carries it through an underground pipe system into a body of water.

“This is not to be confused with wastewater, which is treated in one of the wastewater development plants,” Fountain said.

Even on a regular summer week, the combination of Florida rain and flood-prone streets, like we see in the Old Northeast, can bring lots of local pollution to the city’s waterways. Leaves, cigarettes, old bottles, chip bags – everything unwanted eventually goes into the bay. Keeping streets and drains clean goes a long way to helping control waterway pollution. 

That’s also why St. Pete has rules for residents about fertilizer use between June 1 and September 30, and why lawns shouldn’t be mowed closer than 10 feet from any body of water. Both lead to pollution and clogging of the city’s delicate stormwater system, a problem that becomes much more apparent during hurricane season. Clogged stormwater drains are a direct cause of neighborhood flooding. 

Adopt-Don’t-Shop: Storm Drain Edition

According to Fountain, storm drains in the Old Northeast regularly experience issues, and that’s partially due to the ONE’s enviable tree canopy.  

“There’s a lot of deciduous trees,” Fountain explained. “If there’s a storm drain on a block near you, chances are it needs a little help.”

For those who want to help, you can sign up for the Adopt-a-Drain program by filling out the application on the city’s website. From there, you’ll watch an instructional video at City Hall and receive a kit, equipping you with a garden rake, trash can, gloves, yard sign, and all the tools you need to clear out your local drain.

It’s free to sign up and the payout is knowing you’re part of the grassroots effort to keep the Bay, and all our local waterways, clean.

“You can adopt a drain anywhere in St. Pete – near your home, near your work – as an individual or as a group,” Fountain said. “Some recreational programs in St. Pete are a part of the waitlist.”

Translation? If you don’t want to get into it yourself, you can call together your book club or your office besties to make it a little more fun.

“Just the biggest ask is that everyone does their part to give back,” Fountain said. “Whether it’s through Adopt-a-Drain or marking or just picking up pieces of trash, every little piece is contributing to the health of our waterways.”

Storm Drain Marking

“Storm Drain Marking is a different program than Adopt-a-Drain, but they are both very closely related and supported by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Committee,” Fountain said.

Residents who sign up are equipped with kits and signage that are meant to mark and provide information on how to prevent storm drain pollution.

“These signs raise awareness about the connection between storm drains and local waterways and can help to deter littering, excess fertilizer use, dumping, and other practices that contribute to stormwater pollution and localized flooding. Kits include the markers, maps, and the tools needed to attach the markers to the storm drain covers,” notes the City of St. Petersburg website.

Participants are also equipped with knowledge and talking points to help fellow residents inform their neighbors and friends.

Said Fountain, “It’s all about starting a dialogue and giving people an educational opportunity.” 

To participate in the Adopt-a-Drain program visit stpete.org/residents/community/storm_drains.php.