Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) Manager Environmental Implementation Libby Caldwell says the Adopt a Drain initiative is about protecting local waterways through community action.

“The Adopt a Drain community programme’s objective is to educate and empower people in urban areas to reduce the pollutants that drain into local waterways through stormwater systems. This is important because stormwater isn’t treated — whatever goes down the drain ends up in local waterways and affects the environment, fish and animals,” says Mrs Caldwell.

In 2017, in response to concerns about water quality, ORC supported the local community to begin scoping lagoon restoration works for Tomahawk/Tomohaka Lagoon. In 2023 an ecological assessment was commissioned and the highest priority action to improve the lake was to prevent pollutants entering it.

Mrs Caldwell says the Tomahawk/Tomohaka Lagoon area was chosen for the pilot community programme in collaboration with the Dunedin City Council (DCC). This has been a priority area for ORC as identified in the Long-Term Plan 2021–2031. There has also been a significant investment of time and energy from a local community group in the area called ECOTAGO, who have been working with local schools to support them to understand lagoon health. The Adopt a Drain programme looks to complement the work of the community and leverage the relationships that have already been developed.

“Tomahawk/Tomohaka Lagoon’s close-knit community has been very active in preserving and improving this catchment, and the area has around 60 stormwater grates that merge and flow into the lagoon, plus more drains along Highcliff Road, so it seemed like a good fit for this new initiative. Stormwater education is just one area of focus to support enhancing lagoon health. The community is also working hard to fence and plant the streams that flow into the lagoon,” says Mrs Caldwell.

“We are keen to work with other communities across Otago and I encourage anyone interested to contact our Catchment Advisor team via catchments@orc.govt.nz.”

Adopt a Drain has two key parts: a school programme, which is already underway throughout Otago, and this new community programme. At the end of each Adopt a Drain session, an ORC metal fish is installed on a chosen stormwater drain, signifying it has been ‘adopted’ by a school, community group, neighbourhood or household.

DCC Asset and Funding Manager Simon Smith says, “We’re really supportive of the Adopt a Drain community programme, which is a great chance to highlight the impact of pollutants entering the stormwater network. This can have a negative impact on the environment in Ōtepoti Dunedin, so we’re really keen to help get the message out — water only down the drain.”

Andrew Innes from the ECOTAGO Charitable Trust says, “In conjunction with ORC, the trust has contributed in a meaningful way to the ecological assessment of Tomahawk Lagoon. The lagoon water quality is fair to poor, so we have embarked on the first step in a programme of environmental improvement, namely riparian planting in the lagoon catchment. Our next step is to reduce the effect stormwater flow has into the lagoon.”

To adopt a drain or learn more, contact catchments@orc.govt.nz to reach our Catchment Advisor team or visit orc.govt.nz/adoptadrain.

Stormwater isn’t pure rainwater. As it flows over the ground and paved areas towards a drain, it picks up pollutants. Whatever goes down a storm drain, whether poured in intentionally or washed down with rainwater, enters our waterways untreated. Understanding how stormwater networks function and how to stop pollutants such as car oil, soap suds, solvents, fertilisers and other pollutants and litter from entering a storm drain is important for everyone. Find out more at only drain rain.