StormWater Action Teams (SWAT)
Trillions of dangerous bacteria and literally tons of fertilizer and trash reach our local streams every year by way of street-side storm drains.
The SWAT Program
A SWAT is a StormWater Action Team. SWATs are groups of kids, colleagues, or neighbors that are willing to donate time to help steward storm drains and promote water quality awareness in neighborhoods or commercial centers. SWATs will be assigned to a portion of a neighborhood that has known drainage problems and whose storm drains discharge directly to an already impaired (polluted) stream, making conditions in that stream worse. SWAT members will be provided gloves, garbage bags, safety vests, drain markers, and educational door hangers to distribute. SWATs will work to removed leaves and debris from around several storm drains in the neighborhood, mark the drain with an educational marker, and then place Clear Choices Clean Water Adopt-a-Storm Drain door hangers on neighborhood residents’ doors. This educational door hanger will explain why the drains are important and how residents can volunteer through the Clear Choices’ Service pledge program to become a Storm Drain Steward and help keep these drains, and our streams, clean. Opportunities are also available in commercial areas, but these opportunities are reserved for adult only SWATs.
If you’re interested in hosting a SWAT event contact us and we will work with you on coordinating an event!
Schedule
We have a few specific SWAT service day events planned annually that you can tie into; however, if you have a specific date in mind and a large enough group, we’d be happy to help coordinate an opportunity for you to deploy a SWAT to one of our many target areas. Likewise, if you generate enough interest within your company, neighborhood, congregation, etc. White River Alliance staff scientists will join you in advance of your service day to discuss local water supplies and stormwater runoff impacts and solutions. This discussion opportunity can really help to further motivate your SWAT and assure them that they are making a real and lasting difference.
FAQs

Programs
- River Assessment Field Team (RAFT)
- White River Paddle Days
- Dragon Boat Races
- Indiana Water Summit
- Clear Choices Clean Water
- White River Festival
- StormWater Action Teams (SWAT)
- Trained Individual Contractor Certification
- Stormwater Landscape Maintenance Training
- State of the Waters
- Regional Stormwater MS4 Program