Local Government Rain Garden Programs: Seattle's

The City of Seattle started a rain garden reimbursement program this year. To start, they're targeting combined sewer overflow (CSO) basins; specifically the Ballard CSO basin. It is very expensive to build CSO control structures and the city is seeking to reduce CSO events and volumes in the most cost-effective way. The city envisions expanding the program to other basins in the future.

The city's program is called the Residential RainWise Program. Here's how it works:
Residents who live in the Ballard CSO basin are eligible for rebates for installing rain gardens and cisterns. Rain gardens have to be installed by a licensed contractor and city staff need to do pre and post-construction inspections. The city will reimburse up to $4 per square foot of impervious surface directed to it. This is anticipated to be 90-100% of total installation costs.

For more information see: http://www.rainwise.seattle.gov