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How San Francisco Convinced Thousands Of People To Adopt Storm Drains

Most San Franciscans pass at least a few neighborhood storm drains every day. But only a few residents probably realize they may have been rudely walking by, not acknowledging the drains by name.
Yes, the iron grate on your corner may not just be an anonymous piece of infrastructure. It might be na... More

Posted Date: 11/30/2022



Adopt A Drain Teams Up With Rain Guardians

On Saturday, August 20, 2022 Adopt a Drain joined fellow Rain Guardians for a community event to promote the program and tour nearby rain gardens. To learn more about the Rain Guardian Program check out: rainguardians.org

Posted Date: 08/20/2022



Youth For San Francisco Promotes The Adopt A Drain Program

Don’t have a pet? Adopt a Drain and help keep San Francisco clean!
 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgxX-52gAmV/?igshid=NDRkN2NkYzU=

Posted Date: 08/02/2022



This Drain Adopter Rolled Up Her Sleeves Before The Big Storm
The San Francisco Bay Area braved heavy rain fall and winds this past weekend. Luckily, for “Down-a the Drain,” a storm drain located at the bottom of a steep San Francisco hill, Elizabeth Heidues takes pride in cleaning her adopted drain, part of the SFPUC’s Adopt a Drain Program.... More

Posted Date: 10/27/2021



St. John's Academy Students Head Back To School And To Their Drains
“Right now, they are named Boomer-Pit and Big Mac.”
That is what Dmitri Gadreau, an eighth grade student at St. John’s Academy, shared about what his class named their adopted storm drains. “But we plan on having a contest this month to rename the them.”
Right before th... More

Posted Date: 05/21/2021



How a San Francisco Drain Becomes Part of the Family | SFPUC
Nestled on the bottom of a steep San Francisco hill is ‘Donna’ the drain.“One time someone dumped wallpaper paste or some kind of white hardened stuff into Donna. I had to scrape it off her grate with a silverware knife. That is the one time I got fed up with the mistaken notion an... More

Posted Date: 12/15/2020



The Rainy Season Is A-coming And Here’s What You Can Do To Protect Your Property

Sewer Operations crew cleaning sewer drains on Sunset Blvd. Curb drains. Vactor truck
With the official start of the wet weather season on October 15, it’s time to revisit what San Franciscans can do to prepare and a few updates on what the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) ha... More

Posted Date: 10/20/2020



Meet Local Students Who Became drain Heroes
A few weeks before shelter-in place was mandated in San Francisco, Kelly Newman, a science teacher for middle and high school students at St. John’s Academy, adopted several drains close to the school as part of the SFPUC’s Adopt a Drain Program. An advocate for watershed... More

Posted Date: 05/15/2020



A Response To A Broken Heart On Valentine’s Day
For those who do not follow the SFPUC on social media, a post earlier this morning “love is in the air” encouraged residents to adopt a local storm drain through the SFPUC’s Adopt A Drain program. The SFPUC received a comment from one of its followers suggesting that she may have h... More

Posted Date: 02/14/2020



How To Safely Clean A Storm Drain
With over 25,000 storm drains and catch basins throughout San Francisco, the SFPUC offers a unique program that allows residents to take an active role in caring for and improving the neighborhood where they live and work.
Launched in 2016, the Adopt a Drain Program lets San Francisco residents &ldq... More

Posted Date: 01/16/2020



Why Idil Bereket Named Her Drain “duke The Lion Dog” And Leads Adopt A Drain SF
Keeping storm drains and catch basins clear of leaves and debris helps avoid flooding. It also enables stormwater to drain properly. Every bit of help counts and San Francisco residents are taking an active part by “adopting” drains in their neighborhood, helping to protect the environme... More

Posted Date: 01/08/2020



Digital Public Goods web page overlaid on Adopt a Drain SF website.
With Over 2,000 Residents Participating, Adopt A Drain Website Candidate For Digital Public Good
UNICEF and the government of Norway have created a collaborative process designed to facilitate the development, discovery, scalability, and use of digital public goods by anyone in the world at little or no cost. Digital public goods are online tools that serve to educate, help one thrive in their ... More

Posted Date: 11/12/2019



First-ever Adopt A Drain Sf Event Celebrates Volunteers
A diverse group of residents and business owners from across San Francisco gathered together in the East Garden of the California Academy of Sciences on Sunday, July 28 for the one thing that united them all – their storm drains.The SFPUC held its first-ever Adopt a Drain SF volunteer apprecia... More

Posted Date: 08/02/2019



Drain Adopters Help Reduce Flooding Issues In SF
Since the launch of ​San Francisco’s Adopt a Drain program in Fall 2016, the City’s 311 work orders for street flooding issues have reduced 36% below anticipated levels, illustrating the effectiveness of residents taking initiative and ownership of their drains.
Adopt a Drain VIP Volun... More

Posted Date: 02/28/2019