MS4 Toolkit
Spreading the word about Adopt Your Drain is one of the most effective ways to increase your resident’s awareness of the program. Public involvement and community wide behavior change is the key to preventing stormwater pollution from entering our precious water bodies. Use of one or more of these options to get your residents involved!
Option 1: Copy and paste the AYD logo and the following blurb into your municipality’s or organization’s newsletter:
“To help keep debris out of our fresh waterways here in Southeastern Wisconsin, participate in (Your Municipality’s) Adopt Your Drain program. Those who want to participate can do so by:
Adopting a drain by using the Adopt Your Drain website.
Help promote the program by sharing these social media posts with your neighbors, family, and friends.
Report on what you’ve found on your storm drain by visiting www.swwtwater.org/adopt-your-drain or by clicking here!”
Option 2: Share one of these social media graphics with your residents (captions available below):
Sample Adopt Your Drain Caption (All Seasons):
If it's not rain, it doesn't belong in the drain! It's important to keep storm drain surfaces clear of debris to prevent street flooding and keep pollutants out of local waterways. Adopting a drain means clearing debris off the drain twice a month and reporting your drain cleaning efforts on the Adopt Your Drain website to track the impact. Visit www.adoptyourdrain.com to adopt a drain near you.
Option 3: Sign up to receive copies of this Adopt Your Drain postcard and send them out to your residents through the mail.
Sample Adopt Your Drain Caption (Autumn):
This fall, keep an eye on your storm drains to make sure leaves stay out of our waterways. Although leaves are natural, they contain nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium which are an excellent fertilizer for your garden, but harmful to freshwater systems. Always keep storm drain grates clear of debris to prevent clogs, which can cause localized flooding. Consider mulching or composting your leaves this fall, and take action by committing to keep a storm drain clean at www.adoptyourdrain.com. Learn more about leaf management techniques at www.respectourwaters.org/leaf-management
