Sweetwater, Ozaukee County Watershed Coalition urge residents to 'adopt a drain' to curb stormwater pollution

Representatives from Sweetwater and the Ozaukee County Watershed Coalition spoke in Port Washington to warn that stormwater runoff carries pollutants into Lake Michigan and to promote an "adopt a drain" volunteer program.

A representative of Sweetwater said, "Stormwater is rain and snow melt that flows into our storm drains, and this water becomes very easily polluted because it picks up any type of pollutants and sediment that is on impervious surfaces," and explained that untreated runoff flows directly into local water bodies. The presenter linked that runoff to threats to aquatic ecosystems and human recreation, noting it can cause beach and lake closures when bacteria reach recreational waters.

The presenters emphasized individual and neighborhood actions to reduce polluted runoff. The Sweetwater speaker listed recommendations including picking up pet waste promptly, composting yard waste rather than raking it into streets, and maintaining vehicles to prevent leaks. A presenter promoting local green infrastructure said residents can "implement green infrastructure in your landscaping to help absorb stormwater better" and pointed to educational programs to learn more.

Organizers detailed how the "adopt a drain" program works: volunteers pledge to check and clean a specific storm drain before and after rain events, record what they find, and report it to help build a countywide picture of debris and pollutants being kept out of waterways. "We're asking participants to go to our website, adoptourdrain.com, and look if there's a drain in need in your area," one presenter said.

The Ozaukee County Watershed Coalition representative described coalition partnerships among nonprofits, businesses and community members to coordinate larger projects and outreach. The speaker highlighted a storm-drain mural installed at Heart Of The Harbor in Downtown Port Washington in 2023, saying, "Feedback overall has been very positive, and people have really liked it so far." The mural was presented as part of an awareness campaign linking drains to Lake Michigan and local wildlife.

The presenters concluded by encouraging residents who use local beaches and waterways to volunteer for the adopted-drain program and to follow simple maintenance steps at home. The program website, adoptourdrain.com, was provided as the sign-up and reporting portal.