The Santa Clara Valley Water District now offers rainwater capture rebates. Rain gardens, rain barrels and cisterns are all systems used to keep water onsite for reuse within the landscape and may qualify residents for cash-back incentives.
Under the new landscape rebate program, customers throughout the South Bay can receive a rebate of $1 per square foot of roof area for stormwater diverted into designated rain garden areas (up to a maximum of $300). The rate is based on the roof surface area and not the size of the rain garden.
Also offered under the new rainwater-capture rebate are additional options for collecting rainfall onsite for reuse, including barrels and cisterns. Homeowners and businesses can receive money back—up to $35 per barrel (with a 40-to-199-gallon-range capacity).
For property owners wishing to install a larger, more robust rainwater capture systems, a rebate of 50 cents a gallon is available for cisterns (large above- or below-ground water storage tanks) that hold at least 200 gallons of rainwater.
Get more detail on the benefits of rain gardens and rain barrels at valleywaternews.org.
As with all water district rebates, an application and approval are required before purchasing any equipment or starting any work. For information, call 408.630.2554.
Good idea…but…ancillary issues such as; mosquito habitat and abatement , potential odors arising from long-term storage and non-usage, moss and or fungus habitats should be addressed.
Further, residential gray-water systems usage and storage systems should also be encouraged. There are more potential public health concerns but…education into the public-health issues can result in very safe re-use.
Bigger issue…stop building housing. Limit populations from making the Bay Area their home. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska have plenty of living space for those who got to the Bay-area too late.
David S. Wall
> Bigger issue…stop building housing. Limit populations from making the Bay Area their home. North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska have plenty of living space for those who got to the Bay-area too late.
Oh Mr. Wall, never have I ever wanted you to be mayor so badly. Unfortunately comments like that will likely result in the real estate and construction groups instigating a smear campaign to discredit your pragmatism. Tomorrow I’ll be reading that you are dumb, ill mannered, and smell. Just par for the course for those with the common sense to look at San Jose and decide that hanging up the NO VACANCY sign is the best option, as we’ve clearly populated past our capacity in water, safety, and services.
I like it, but how do I keep the West Nile virus out of my barrel?