Adopt a Drain

Sign up to volunteer to maintain a storm drain in your community and help keep our waterways clean. Most of Berkeley’s 9,000 storm drains feed directly into our watershed. By keeping storm drains clean, you prevent trash and pollutants from flowing into local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the ocean.   

Volunteer for the Adopt-A-Storm Drain program and make a positive impact in several areas: 

• Community: Volunteers play an important role by keeping storm drains free of trash, debris, and other pollutants.  
• Street safety: Caring for storm drain inlets reduces pollution and prevents flooding that can cause safety issues for pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. 
• Environment: Improve water and habitat quality for fish, birds, humans, and other living things.

Volunteer with Adopt-A-Storm Drain

Apply to volunteer with Adopt-A-Storm drain using our online application form (also available in Spanish). 

Use our ArcGIS Adopt-A-Storm Drain Hub Site to: 

• Sign up to adopt up to two storm drains 
• View the live status of storm drains in Berkeley 
• Record and share maintenance activities with community volunteers 
• Report conditions or issues with a storm drain 
• Instantly request supplies 

Volunteers agree to regularly clean their adopted storm drain for a period of at least 1 year, by removing leaves, trash and other debris. Please note that some storm drains may not be eligible for adoption if they are in high traffic areas or in the state’s right of way (e.g. Ashby Avenue). 

Recommended materials for maintaining storm drains: 

• Gloves 
• Rake and/or Scoop 
• Orange City Trash Bags (provided by the City upon request) 
• Branded Volunteer Safety Vest (provided by the City) 

Volunteer responsibilities 

Volunteers should follow the instructions below when cleaning a storm drain: 

• Check and clear the drain periodically and especially before a storm.  
• Use a rake to remove leaves, trash, and debris from the storm drain opening and gutter. Please do not remove the grate from the storm drain opening as this does not unclog the system and could be hazardous. 
• Never attempt to use your hands or feet to reach into the storm drain to remove debris. 
• Always wear a brightly colored high-visibility vest to be visible to vehicle traffic.  Work from the curb or sidewalk if possible. 
• Place the material removed into the trash bags provided. Call (510) 981-6620 for trash bag pickup, or to request more bags. 
• Place the filled trash bags at the curb for pick up taking care not to block wheelchair ramps, crosswalks, driveways, or sidewalk passage.  Use caution when lifting heavy bags. Please do not leave storm drain debris piles or filled bags near the drain. 

If you find hazardous materials or a dead animal in the drain, please do not attempt to remove them. Please call one of the numbers listed below: 

• If you find hazardous materials such as syringes, please call (510) 981-6620. 
• If you find a dead animal in the drain, please call (510) 981-6600. 

Read the Adopt-A-Storm Drain Volunteer Agreement for a refresher regarding volunteer guidelines.   

Check out our video and subscribe to our newsletter to learn more.