The SFPUC is committed to creating a resilient and sustainable city in the face of intensifying weather patterns. We can send precious rainwater back to the soil, minimizing the burden on our sewer system and creating a greener city by implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). GSI is a set of engineered systems that use the power of plants and soils to reroute, slow down, clean and absorb stormwater rather than sending it to the sewer system. Rain gardens are one type of GSI that the SFPUC has been building across the city to make our surfaces more permeable. There are rain gardens in each of the eight San Francisco urban watersheds.

The SFPUC’s Rain Guardians program empowers community members to get involved in these efforts by adopting a rain garden and “guarding” it from trash and debris. Similar to the Adopt-A-Drain program, Rain Guardians help to steward the rain gardens in their community and ensure these rain gardens are ready to do their job of soaking up stormwater and protecting surrounding waterways. This is one of the ways the City is coming together towards a greener future.

With the rainy season approaching it is the perfect time to become a Rain Guardian and help transform the storm. Join us for our Rain Guardians community event on Saturday October 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Sunset Boulevard Greenway, on Sunset Boulevard and Vicente Street in San Francisco. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the Rain Guardians program, pick up a Rain Guardian volunteer toolkit if eligible, and see a live demonstration by the green infrastructure maintenance team on how to safely and effectively care for the rain gardens. We look forward to connecting with our current and future Rain Guardians community.

Register for the Rain Guardians Community Event here.

This event will adhere to the City’s COVID-19 safety guidelines. The event will be held fully outdoors and all who attend must wear masks and are kindly asked to practice safe social distancing. The event attendance will be capped at 50 attendees, please RSVP.

To learn more about the Rain Guardians program, explore the rain garden map and adopt your own rain garden, visit RainGuardians.org. If you have any questions, reach out to the team at rainguardians@sfwater.org, we are here to help.