Adopt-a-Drain

You can help keep our waterways clean by adopting a storm drain in your neighborhood.

Overview

Flow to Creek Keep Drain Clean is written next to storm drain

All storm drains lead to one of our lakes, a creek or the Mississippi River.

When it rains stormwater carries pollutants into our waterways. Pollutants include:

  • Grass clippings
  • Pesticides
  • Motor oil
  • Cigarette butts
  • Pet waste
  • Plastic bottles
  • and more

You can help keep our waterways clean by adopting a storm drain and cleaning it regularly.

Learn more and Adopt-A-Drain

How to sign up

  1. Visit the Adopt-A-Drain website to get started
  2. Click one of the sign-up links or a specific storm drain:
    • Click the orange "Adopt a Drain" button
    • Click the "Sign up" button in the top right corner
    • Select a storm drain on the map
  3. Name your drain
  4. Fill out your contact information
    • Note: Your name will be visible to other adopters
  5. Add a profile picture
  6. Choose if you want to be contacted by the City or your local watershed organization.

How to clean your adopted drain

Visit your drain regularly to remove debris

Remove debris from the drain

  • Do not remove the grate.
  • If you see material beneath the grate, notify 311.
  • We will send a crew to resolve the issue.

Contact 311

Residential storm drain

 

Properly dispose items

You should properly get rid of items you clean from around the storm drain.

Recycle

  • Recyclable items include aluminum cans, plastic or glass bottles 
  • Put recyclables loose (unbagged) with your recycling

See accepted recycling

Compost

  • Compostable items include leaves, grass and twigs
  • Put in a backyard compost bin or set out for yard waste pickup if you have City garbage and Recycling service

See yard waste collection

Garbage

Garbage items include:

  • Sediment and grit
  • Paper cups and to-go containers
  • Straws
  • Plastic caps
  • Other non-recyclable items

Bag and put with your regular garbage.

Search our Disposal Guide to find out where an item belongs

Track your efforts

  • Report how much material you collected.
  • You can do so on the Adopt-a-Drain website.

Visit the Adopt-a-Drain website

Clean City programs

people picking up litter with litter grabbers, gloves and yellow litter bags

Request Litter Cleanup Supplies
concrete litter container

Adopt-a-Litter Container
concrete recycling container

Adopt-a-Recycling Container
concrete cigarette butt / ash receptacle

Adopt-an-Ash Receptacle
adopt-a-block yard sign

Adopt-a-Block
Adopt-a-street metal sign

Adopt-a-Street
flowers and plants growing in median of street

Adopt-a-Median
paint cans and a paint brush

Graffiti paint over program

Related resources

vines on the side of a garage

Prevent graffiti
paint cans and paint brush

Paint over graffiti
graffiti remove spray bottle, sponge and gloves

Remove graffiti

Contact us

Surface Water & Sewers

Public Works

Phone

612-673-5625

Address

Public Works
Surface Water & Sewers Division
309 Second Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2268

Hours

Monday – Friday
7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.