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Adopt-a-Drain

In the Grand River watershed, 50,000+ storm drains flow directly into our waterways—without any filtering or treatment. By pledging to keep your drain free of leaves and debris, you are joining your neighbors in helping to protect the environment, manage stormwater, and minimize flooding.

 

Click on this image to open the Adopt-a-Drain webpage and Adopt-a-drain for yourself!

 

Why Adopt a Storm Drain?

Stormwater runoff is generated from rain and snowmelt that flows over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved roads, parking lots or building rooftops, that does not soak into the ground. Stormwater flows into drains that take it directly to nearby lakes, rivers and streams. Stormwater is NOT treated before it reaches our waterways. Therefore it is extremely important to follow some simple best management practices (BMPs) in order to minimize the pollution that reaches our lakes, rivers and streams. Keeping storm drains clear of leaves, trash, and debris helps avoid flooding, enables stormwater to drain properly, and reduces water pollution. We appreciate our drain adopters to help us keep the drains clear of leaves and debris, protect the environment and help minimize risk of flooding .Volunteer fifteen minutes, twice a month, for cleaner waterways and healthier communities.

Storm Drain Murals (Painted Drains)

We’ve partnered with Lions and Rabbits to bring painted storm drains to the Lower Grand River Watershed. Our Storm Drain Mural Program harnesses the power of art to inspire environmental stewardship. Lions and Rabbits commissions artists to create vibrant sidewalk murals next to storm drains to beautify public spaces, spark meaningful conversations, and raise awareness about stormwater pollution. These murals serve as a creative call to action, encouraging the community to get involved by adopting a drain. Urban Waters Learning Network recently published a story map about Art and Environmental Awareness featuring our Storm Drain Art program, check it out here.

 
 

Drain Clearing Tips (How to Care for your Adopted Drain)

  1. Check the weather report weekly. If possible, clear leaves and debris off the drain before it starts raining and shovel snow off the drain in winter.

  2. Tools You Might Need to Clean Your Adopted Drain: Gather a few supplies to make cleaning easier: a broom, rake, trash grabber, gloves, an orange cone or safety vest, a snow shovel or dustpan, and a pail or yard waste bag. A rolling pail can be especially handy if you have one.

  3. Clear about 10 feet on both sides of the drain: While your adopted drain is your focus, clearing debris from streets and sidewalks also helps prevent storm drain blockages, as anything on pavement can be washed into the drains during rainfall.

  4. Safety Tips and Guidelines: Only clear debris from the surface of the drain grate and the area around it. Never try to remove the grate or clean inside the catch basin. If the drain appears blocked or damaged, contact city staff for assistance—they’ll send a crew to check it out.

    Be cautious near the drain, as sharp or hazardous objects may be present. Wear gloves to protect your hands, and consider using a trash grabber to collect debris. Wear bright or reflective clothing to stay visible to traffic, and avoid standing or crouching on busy streets.

    Local residential streets are ideal for adopting drains. If your adopted drain is on a busy road, stick to clearing trash and debris from the sidewalk and leave the grate and street area for city staff.

  5. Sorting and Disposing of Waste: When you collect debris, separate it into trash, recyclables (like glass or plastic bottles, cans), and compostables (such as leaves, grass clippings, sticks, and sediment). Note: sediment collected in the spring should go in the trash, as it may contain chemicals from winter deicers. If there’s a significant amount of spring sediment, let city street sweepers handle it. If you notice an unusually large buildup of sediment near your drain, report it to city staff, as it could signal a larger issue.

    Did you find medical waste or needles? Construction debris? Toxic materials? Follow your community’s instructions for disposal guidelines. For more information, click HERE.

Track Impact

Reporting only takes a few minutes

Estimate the amount of debris collected from your storm drain. Report after each cleaning, once a month, or once a year - whatever works for you.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Stormwater is water that originates during precipitation events and snow/ice melt. It can soak into the soil (infiltrate), be held on the surface and evaporate, or run off the surface of the land.  Stormwater that flows over impervious surfaces, such as paved roads, parking lots or rooftops, flows into drains that take it directly to nearby lakes, rivers and streams. t goes here

  • In the Lower Grand River Watershed, stormwater runoff is transported through Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and then discharged untreated into local water bodies. Stormwater is NOT treated before it reaches our waterways, so it is extremely important to minimize the pollution that reaches our lakes, rivers and streams by keeping it out of storm drains in the first place. Keeping storm drains clear also reduces the likelihood of flooding and saves your community money by reducing the number of times municipal employees need to address clogged drains.

  • It's best to clear the drain before it starts raining to help prevent flooding and after it rains to clean up any debris left behind. Spring and Fall are the most likely seasons for a drain to get blocked by debris. If possible, also shovel your drain out after a snow storm so that snowmelt can get down once temperatures rise.

  • Once you are logged into your account, the “My drains” section in the side panel will show the names and the addresses of any drain you have adopted. Your drain(s) will appear on the map as orange icons.

  • On the map, click the orange icon for the drain you want to abandon. In the popup that appears, click  “Abandon this drain”.

  • The best way to change the name of your drain is to abandon your drain, readopt it and give it a new name.

  • Not all communities chose to participate in Adopt a Drain, and some drains in participating communities are located on private property. These drains have been excluded from the map and in cleaning them you are not covered by the Adopt a Drain program’s Terms of Use. If you want to adopt a drain you don’t see on this map, find out who owns it and check with them for permission. You can still sign up for Adopt a Drain emails from LGROW by creating an Adopt a Drain account if you want to receive event and drain cleaning reminders.

  • If a drain looks like it might be in someone’s yard or in a parking lot, always get permission from the property owner before adopting. Avoid adopting drains that appear to be entirely on private property or in locations that could be dangerous to access. Remember, GVMC & Sponsoring Jurisdictions won't be held responsible for anything that happens to you or others in service of maintaining your drain. Please be careful!

  • You can paint a sidewalk square to raise awareness about water conservation! We’ve partnered with Lions and Rabbits to bring painted storm drains to the Lower Grand River Watershed. Artists receive compensation as well as education and professional development. If you would like to paint a storm drain, you can get more information from Lions and Rabbits here and begin the application process.

  • Yes, you can adopt-a-drain on a phone or any device with internet connection ans access to a browser. If you have questions about this process, email us at adoptadrain@gvmc.org. If you don’t have a phone or email account you can call (616) 776-7605 and notify us of the location of the drain you want to adopt and whether you would like to give it a name. We will adopt that drain for you so that others know the drain has been claimed.