If it’s not rain, it doesn’t belong in the drain!

It is a common misconception that storm drains lead to the Algoma wastewater treatment plant. In actuality, Algoma’s storm drains carry untreated water directly to the Ahnapee River or Crescent Beach depending on your location. These storm drain conduits often carry more than just untreated rainwater. They can become pathways for various pollutants, including trash, oil, leaves, chemicals, and more. This can have a negative impact on water quality, overstimulate algal growth, harm wildlife and cause trash, debris and pollutants to enter the river and lake. We can all do our part to improve and preserve water resources in Algoma and beyond.

Algoma residents play a pivotal role in mitigating the flow of these harmful substances into our community's aquatic ecosystems. Removing debris that collects in neighborhood storm drains and along the nearby curbs promotes cleaner runoff, reduces the potential for flooding and decreases the amount of pollution and trash entering our waterways. Each drain adopted becomes a frontline defense in preserving the health and integrity of our local ecology, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the beauty and benefits of our precious waterways. Only rain down the drain!

 Drain Care

How often should drains be cleaned out and when?

Ideally, a drain should be cleared before and after a rainfall event, but if people can commit to clearing their drain at least twice a month it would make a huge difference! Cleaning off your drain will typically take you less than 15 minutes. If you aren't able to clean your drain out twice a month, it may take a little longer as debris will start to build up. Please be aware of your surroundings, avoid busy traffic times and work only during daylight hours.

What should the collection process look like?

Wear appropriate bright-colored clothing - gloves should be worn at all times, and reflective clothing is suggested if cleaning in a high-traffic area. You should also bring appropriate supplies to clean out your drain. Even with gloves, cleaning drains with your hands may be difficult, or even dangerous. We recommend coming prepared with a rake, broom, shovel, or even a trash grabber in addition to a bucket or bag to hold debris.

When cleaning your drain, we ask volunteers to collect only debris on the surface of the drain (please do not lift the grate). It is also helpful to clear any debris in the surrounding areas, as it could eventually enter into the storm drain.

What should be done with the material collected?

Your collected debris will undergo various disposal methods depending on its composition. Materials such as leaves, twigs, grass clippings, and sediment are suitable for composting. Glass and plastic bottles, cans, and similar items should be recycled. Anything else gathered should be disposed of in the trash. Notably, sediment collected during spring may contain high levels of salt from winter, making it unsuitable for composting; therefore, it should be discarded rather than composted. If you do not compost at home, you can bring your organic materials to the city compost pile behind the City’s garage.

 Help Spread the Word

If you have adopted a drain in our community, we encourage you to spread the word about the importance of maintaining these drains. By sharing your positive experiences with others, you can help raise awareness and inspire more people to adopt drains in their neighborhoods. Together, we can work towards keeping our drains clean and functional, ultimately protecting our local waterways and environment for future generations. Spread the word today to make a bigger impact!

We offer resources for you to learn more and share with friends, family, and colleagues.

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