Welcome to the Virginia Beach Adopt-a-Drain Program
Virginia Beach's Adopt‐a Drain program enables residents like you to help keep pollution out of our lakes and streams. Using your smart phone or a computer and an interactive mapping program, you can see storm drains near you and choose one to adopt as your very own.
Just choose your drain, give it a name and sweep around it a few times a year. You can help keep pollution from being carried down the storm drain that leads to your closest lake or stream.
Why should I Adopt-a-Drain?
Trash and debris that makes its way into storm drains can contribute to pollution of our local waterways and potentially cause localized flooding in extreme cases of debris build-up and heavy rainfall.
The Virginia Beach Department of Public Works maintains more than 40,000 storm drains across the City. Public Works regularly inspects these drains and responds to maintenance needs. However, it can take some time to get to every drain in the city.
That's where you can help. Adopting a storm drain and keeping it clear of debris as part of your regular yard maintenance routine can go a long way toward keeping our waterways pollution‐free. If you notice your adopted drain appears to be clogged or damaged, please contact the City to have it addressed right away.
What's involved?
When you adopt a storm drain, you're pledging to clear debris from around (not inside of) your storm drain at least 6 times a year. The most important time to clear the area around your storm drain is before a predicted rainfall washes debris down the drain.
All you have to do is:
- Sweep or rake up leaves, dirt and debris from the area around the drain
- Properly sort what you collect into the trash, recycling bin or clear plastic bags for yard waste collection
I'm in. How do I start?
Adopting a storm drain is easy as 1‐2‐3:
- Sign up online at
drains.vbgov.com.
- Search the interactive map (or type in an address) to find available storm drains.
- Claim your drain and give it a name.
While you're at it, mark that storm drain
Virginia Beach's Storm Drain Marker Program helps increase public awareness of the environmental effects of dumping in storm drains and how stormwater pollution harms water quality in our lakes and rivers, as well as the Chesapeake Bay, Back Bay, and the ocean.
Storm drain marking volunteers simply affix 4-inch, stainless steel markers to storm drains in their neighborhoods. Each marker denotes to which waterbody the storm drain connects. Marking storm drains with a watershed-specific medallion helps the public draw the connection between our storm sewer system and local waterways to which it drains.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Storm Drain Marker program, let us know the neighborhood(s) where you would like to place the storm drain markers. Please identify at least 20 drains to mark to make efficient use of supplies. Call (757) 385-4131 or email
VBstormwater@vbgov.com.
Due to weather restrictions, the Storm Drain Marker program is generally conducted during the Spring, Summer and Fall only.
Once you've picked up your kit, watch the How-to video below for step-by-step instructions. Be sure to log the drains you marked on the Geoform. No volunteer credit will be awarded unless the work is recorded on this form.
Stay Safe
When caring for your adopted drain, please put safety first.
Never lift or remove the storm drain covers. Never reach into or enter the storm drains.
For interior storm drain maintenance, call (757) 385‐1470,
make a service request online, or contact us through the VB Works app, available on
iPhone and
Android.
Protect our waterways. Report stormwater pollution by calling (757) 385-1470 or email us vbstormwater@vbgov.com.
