Seattle's pioneering RainWise stormwater-pollution prevention program just got even better
All across Puget Sound, local governments are seeing diverse benefits to helping private landowners build rain gardens. Generous incentive programs continue to be rolled out. Washington State University and Stewardship Partners are leading a new groundbreaking campaign to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Seattle/Puget Sound Region by 2016. To learn more, visit http://www.12000raingardens.org/
12,000 Rain Garden Program
“Over 40,000 homes across Seattle are eligible for Rainwise rebates for rain garden and cistern installations,” wrote Alisa Valderrama, Senior Project Finance Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Her work at NRDC focuses on financing green infrastructure to achieve better water quality.
“In fact, by all measures except one, the program has been a big success. Homeowners across diverse neighborhoods and income levels are interested in participating, surveys show. But here’s the problematic measure: Actual RainWise reimbursement applications were coming mostly from higher-income areas.”
“NRDC believed we could help change that dynamic, so that all Seattle homeowners could participate in Rainwise.”
“NRDC then began a collaboration to develop not only a financial solution for RainWise, but a model that could help cities across the country develop more efficient and equitable incentive programs of their own.”
To Learn More:
To download and read the complete article posted by Alisa Valderrama on the NRDC Staff Blog, click on Seattle’s pioneering RainWise stormwater-pollution prevention program just got even better
To visit the RainWise homepage on the Seattle Public Utilities website, click on http://www.seattle.gov/util/EnvironmentConservation/Projects/GreenStormwaterInfrastructure/RainWise/index.htm
Image Credit: Seattle Public Utilities