Portland, Oregon’s Downspout Disconnect Program. This program disconnects household roof-gutter downspouts from the combined sewer/stormwater system, then redirects the roof runoff to irrigate the landscape with the rainwater. The work is done for free by the City, or you can get a $53 reimbursement if you do it yourself. More than 42,000 homeowners have participated, removing over 942 million gallons of roof water per year from the combined sewer/stormwater system. Website: www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=43081

U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED standards. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Buildings that meet these standards cost far less to maintain than conventional buildings, and they have higher market value. So progressive governments and builders are requiring that their buildings be built for LEED certification. For example the City of Austin, Texas requires all new facilities to be built to LEED silver criteria or better. Water-harvesting systems count towards LEED certification. Website: www.usgbc.org/leed/leed_main.asp.

City of Austin, Texas, Water Conservation Program. Distributes over 250 rain barrels per month to homeowners at a subsidized cost, and provides rebates for the installation of approved cistern systems. Commercial/industrial properties can receive rebates up to $40,000 for the installation of rainwater harvesting and greywater systems. New commercial facilities must install a separate irrigation meter costing between $5,000 and $25,000 unless they can provide 100% of all outdoor water needs from alternate water sources such as rain, greywater, and air conditioning condensate. See pp. pp. 54-55 of online document: www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf.

State of Texas. Exempts all water harvesting and greywater systems from state sales tax and property tax. See page 53 of online document: www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf.

State of Arizona. Up to a $200 per home state income tax credit can be claimed by builders who install greywater systems or at least greywater stub-outs (capped-off greywater drain pipes that can be hooked up later) in the construction of new homes. The homeowners hooking up and using these greywater systems can receive a state income tax credit of up to $1,000 per home to cover 25% of the greywater system’s hardware costs. Rainwater harvesting systems can be covered by the credit too, if they are integrated with the greywater harvesting system. For example, earthworks and plantings that harvest both rainwater and greywater. Website: www.azdor.gov; click on “credit pre-certification” on the left hand side of the home page; then click on “gray water conservation tax credit.”