Seattle Public Utilities is starting its RainWise program in Ballard in May. As part of the program, 3,000 Ballardites are eligible for a rebate for construction of a rain garden or cistern on their property to help control storm water runoff.

Residents living in the area bordered by Northwest 65th Street and Northwest 85th Street and 15th Avenue Northwest and 33rd Avenue Northwest could receive 80 percent to 100 percent of the cost of constructing a cistern or rain garden.

RainWise is part of the city's 15-year plan to improve the quality of local waterways by reducing combined sewer overflows into the city's bodies of water.

During heavy rains in Ballard, storm water runoff from roofs and streets overflows the city's system and makes its way into Salmon Bay, said Seattle Public Utilities' Susan Stoltzfus.

"With enough involvement, we'll be able to see a significant reduction in the volume of runoff being added to that system," she said.

The city is starting the program in the defined area of Ballard because there is a fully combined sewer system there and the slopes are not too extreme, said Bob Spencer, head of the RainWise program.

Cisterns are 4-foot-tall buckets that collect runoff from roofs and slowly put it into the ground. Stoltzfus said cisterns give residents water to use during dry summers and saves them money on their water bills.

Rain gardens are trenches with plants that allows water to slowly be absorbed into the ground instead of all at once. Stoltzfus said rain gardens look nice, like a typical garden.

In order to receive the rebate, Ballardites must use a licensed contractor to install the cistern or rain garden and pass a city inspection. Seattle Public Utlities has an online list of contractors who know the requirements of the program, though residents are not required to use contractors from that list.

The homeowner must agree to maintain the system for three years, and the city will be inspecting the rain gardens and cisterns after the first year or two to make sure residents are upholding their end of the bargain, Spencer said.

The opportunity for rebates runs through 2014.

In addition to the rain garden and cistern rebates, the city will be constructing roadside rain gardens, similar to the one at Ballard Corners Park, along 10 blocks in the neighborhood this summer.

Spencer said Seattle Public Utilities will be constructing them where there is a large enough parking strip, they can best control runoff and neighbors are receptive to them.

He said the city is not recommending residents construct rain gardens in their parking strips and will only offer rebates for rain gardens constructed on private property.

Stoltzfus said the city will be monitoring the changes to water flow in Ballard during the next four years. The program will eventually be expanded to the rest of the city, where Seattle Public Utilities is trying to control 100 million gallons of runoff per year, she said.

To see if you qualify for Seattle Public Utilities rain garden or cistern rebate, click here. For more information on combined sewer overflow areas, click here.