WATER-HARVESTING AND RELATED FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND RESOURCES (REBATES, MANDATES, TAX CREDITS, TAX BREAKS, GRANTS, FUNDING, AND MORE)

Water-harvesting and related financial incentives/programs are listed by country, then state, then city alphabetically. Note that this is an incomplete list – there are far more programs than those listed. This is simply meant to give you an idea of what is out there to inspire your community to at least do likewise, and hopefully even better.

AUSTRALIA
Gold Coast, Australia
Mandated rainwater tank installation on new home and business construction
In the Pimpama Coomera Master Plan area of the Gold Coast all homes and businesses connected to the Class A+ recycled water system (those approved for development after 29 August 2005) require a 3,000-liter (800-gallon) rainwater tank plumbed to their cold water washing machine and outdoor faucets.
www.goldcoastwater.com.au/rainwatertanks

Queensland, Australia
Rebates for purchase and installation of rainwater tanks
The State of Queensland, Australia offers a rebate of up to $1,500 for the purchase and installation of home rainwater storages.
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/saverscheme/rebate_schemes

GERMANY
The rain-tax - taxes collected for the amount of impervious surface cover on a property that generates runoff directed to the local storm sewer.

The reason for the rain-tax - construction of storm sewers and other utilities is financed with tax dollars. So, the more rainwater that is caught and kept as a resource where it falls, the less runoff there is to convey. Less runoff allows smaller storm sewers, which, in turn, saves construction and maintenance costs. Thus, people can qualify for rain-tax reductions or exemptions by reducing or eliminating the footprint of their on-site impervious pavement by reducing impervious pavement coverage, replacing impervious pavement with porous pavement, and/or installing green roofs (turning impervious roofs into porous, praire-like surfaces).

UNITED STATES
United States wide
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.
www.usgbc.org/leed/leed_main.asp

United States wide
Energy Tax Credits for Metal Roofing Purchases in the United States
Metal roofs are one of your best roofing options if you are planning to harvest water off your roof. And if you’ve been considering purchasing a metal roof, here’s yet another reason to go for it: From January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2008, the U.S. Government will be following Congress’ Energy Policy Act of 2005, rewarding consumers of quality metal roofs with tax credit savings up to $500. For more information see: http://www.natresnet.org/taxcredits/default.htm

United States wide
Federal government grants
www.grants.gov
The City of Portland, Oregon has used grants from this website to host a stormwater conference, create a sustainable stormwater street, and other stormwater related grants.

United States wide
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Stewardship Incentive Program
Matches your expenses for erosion control, water-harvesting earthworks, and revegetation projects on private land of 1,000 acres or less (some exceptions for parcels up to 5,000 acres) up to $10,000 per landowner per fiscal year.

United States wide
Natural Conservation Resource Departments
They provide free resources to help assess and improve your site’s watershed and wildlife habitat.

United States wide
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program
This is a voluntary partnership program that provides technical and financial assistance to non-Federal landowners to improve fish and wildlife habitats for Federal trust species (e.g., threatened, endangered, and candidate species, migratory birds, and other declining species). Water-harvesting earthworks can qualify. http://ecos.fws.gov/partners/viewContent.do?viewPage=home

United States wide
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 Grant Program
Clean Water Act Section 319(h) funds are provided to designated state and tribal agencies to implement approved nonpoint source management programs. In accordance with guidance issued by EPA under Clean Water Act Section 319, Section 319(h) funding decisions are made by the states. States submit their proposed funding plans to EPA, and, if consistent with grant eligibility requirements and procedures, EPA then awards the funds requested by the states. Water-harvesting, erosion-control earthworks can qualify. http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/nps/grants/

Various states
Land and water agencies
Provide a number of grants for such things as urban and community forestry projects – plant within water-harvesting and erosion-control earthworks

State Fish and Game or Federal Fish and Wildlife services
Provide grants for wildlife habitat creation (supported by water harvesting strategies). Grants provide for work on private land and public land such as school grounds.

State Departments of Water Resources or Water Protection
Provide grants for watershed improvement and education. Can fund the creation of demonstration sites, workshops, and presentations.

Various counties and cities
Inquire at local city council or county supervisor offices for local grants.

State of Arizona
Greywater-Harvesting and Rainwater-Harvesting Tax Credits in Arizona
Effective January 1, 2007, Arizona taxpayers who install a “water conservation system” (defined as a system to harvest residential greywater and/or rainwater) in their residence may take a one-time tax credit of 25% of the cost of the system (up to a maximum of $1,000). Builders are eligible for an income tax credit of up to $200 per residence unit constructed with a water conservation system installed.
Note that a misinterpretation of the tax credit used to only give the credit to greywater systems, but thanks to efforts by Rep. Steve Farley the tax credit will also apply to rainwater harvesting systems once the legislative session ends (by the end of June 2008). Once it takes effect, it will be retroactive to January 1, 2007. So, anyone who has purchased water harvesting systems from January 1, 2008 onward can apply for the AZ tax credits until the annual amount allotted to the credit has been filled.
There is $250,000 per year allocated for these tax credits. Once all is used that is it until the next year, so APPLY NOW if you qualify.

For application forms and further information go to:

www.azdor.gov
click on “credit pre-certification” on the left hand side of the home page
click on gray water conservation tax credit
there is general information and applications for corporations and for individuals.

State of Arizona
Arizona State Land Department, Forestry Division, Urban and Community Forestry Program’s Community Challenge Grant Program Can fund the planting of trees in water harvesting earthworks, along with cistern-building and greywater-harvesting workshops.

State of Arizona
Central Arizona Project Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District Conservation Grant Program
Water conservation grants of up to $5,000 each available. Projects such as a water-harvesting system for a community garden have been funded.
http://www.cap-az.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=103

Pima County, Arizona
PRO Neighborhoods
A grants and technical assistance program for local communities based in Pima County, Arizona offering small grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 to groups working together to mobilize and build upon existing talents and resources within the community.
www.proneighborhoods.org

Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Mandated rainwater tank and water harvesting earthwork installation on new residential and commerical construction

Residences with 2,500 square feet of heated area or less must utilize rain barrels, cisterns, or other catchment basins. Residences 2,500 square feet of heated area and greater must install an active rainwater catchment system comprised of cisterns. All commercial development is required to collect all roof drainage into cisterns to be reused for landscape irrigation. For more details and additional water conservation mandates and guidelines see:
http://www.santafecounty.org/about_us/documents/development_guidelines.pdf

Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Mandated rainwater tank and water harvesting earthwork installation on new residential and commerical construction

Residences with 2,500 square feet of heated area or less must utilize rain barrels, cisterns, or other catchment basins. Residences 2,500 square feet of heated area and greater must install an active rainwater catchment system comprised of cisterns. All commercial development is required to collect all roof drainage into cisterns to be reused for landscape irrigation. http://www.uswaternews.com/archives/arcconserv/8waterule2.html

Portland, Oregon
Clean River Rewards: Contain the Rain
Clean River Rewards is Portland’s stormwater utility discount program. With Clean River Rewards, Portland ratepayers can save money and work for clean rivers and healthy watersheds at the same time.
If you manage stormwater on your property, you can receive up to a 100% discount on your on-site stormwater management charges because your actions help protect rivers, streams and groundwater from the damaging effect of stormwater runoff.
https://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=41976

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. www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=cijjc

State of Texas
State sales and property tax exemption for all water-harvesting and greywater systems in Texas
See page 53 of the following document online: www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf

Austin, Texas
Rain barrel and cistern subsidies and rebates
The 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 pages 54 – 55 of the following document online: www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf

GRANT SOURCES AND GRANT WRITING PUBLICATIONS
Grassroots Grants: An Activist’s Guide to Grantseeking by Andy Robinson, Jossey-Bass, 2004.

Grassroots Grants: An Activist’s Guide to Proposal Writing by Andy Robinson, Chardon Press, 1996.

SOURCE OF LOANS FOR WATER-HARVESTING PROJECTS
Permaculture Credit Union
Office location: 4250 Cerrillos Road, 2nd floor, Santa Fe, NM 87507. Mailing address: PO Box 29300, Santa Fe NM 87592-9300. Phone. 866-954-3479 or 505-954-3479.
www.pcuonline.org

Do you have an addition to this list? Let me know.