RainWise is a rebate program offered by Seattle Public Utilities and King County Wastewater Treatment Division. It helps pay to install rainwater cisterns and/or rain gardens on private properties in parts of Seattle to reduce the polluted runoff going into the Puget Sound through the sewer system.

This program is available to all homeowners in the Barton basin from now until the end of 2015. So far, over 50 of your neighbors have chosen to be RainWise and installed a rain garden or cistern. This means that the rain flowing off of 50,000 square feet of impervious surfaces are no longer flowing into Puget Sound. Help us increase this number by joining today! Check your eligibility at www.rainwise.seattle.gov.

RainWise rebates cover up to 100% of new garden landscaping or a cistern to soak up or collect roof runoff to protect Puget Sound.

This summer, Urban Systems Design outreach staff will be working in the Barton-Fauntleroy neighborhoods to connect people with the RainWise rebates for rain garden and cistern installations.

Urban Systems Design staff can help residents get projects going, including the steps to hire a great contractor from the RainWise-approved roster. We would also like to help organize "clusters" of residential rain gardens or cisterns along neighborhood streets to maximize the impact.

Let us know if you would be interested in hosting your neighbors for a "rain garden party" or another type of neighborhood event to encourage people to learn about the rebate, see RainWise projects and build community. Contact our team to learn more!

Urban Systems Design
Cari Simson, cari@urbansystemsdesign.com / (206) 234-5102
Laura Ryser: lauramryser@gmail.com / (360) 528-0822
Katie Bell: kbell4@antioch.edu / (206) 550-2812