Slide Catch Rain, Discover rebates & guidance to help beautify your garden & help your creek Catch Savings! Ready to Get Started? Call for a site assessment and water saving report! 512-974-2976 Phone logo to call number

More Than a Barrel...

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With every storm in Austin, rain rushes off of hard surfaces like roofs and driveways and flows towards creeks.
The speed and amount of that water can cause erosion and flooding problems on your property, and beyond. The runoff can also carry pollutants that damage plants and animals in our waterways.
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Rain gardens and cisterns can help address these stormwater issues while helping you solve landscaping problems, add beauty to your yard, and increase your water security!
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With every storm in Austin, rain rushes off of hard surfaces like roofs and driveways and flows towards creeks.

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The speed and amount of that water can cause erosion and flooding problems on your property, and beyond. The runoff can also carry pollutants that damage plants and animals in our waterways.

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Rain gardens and cisterns can help address these stormwater issues while helping you solve landscaping problems, add beauty to your yard, and increase your water security!

Rain Catcher Benefits

Click on the benefits in the image below to learn more (for accessibility, please click here)

rain catcher benefits house example Reduce stormwater runoff Augment water supply Increase landscaping skill and knowledge Infiltrate & filter stormwater Increase aesthetics Increase habitat Increase shade Reduce water demand Reduce soil compaction Reduce lawn mowing, waste generation & hauling Reduce chemical inputs Increase educational opportunity Educational activities outside, like monitoring a plant’s progress, increase dopamine and serotonin levels which make a person feel happy and safe Enhance water supply - Water can be stored in cisterns when there is a surplus and released when needed. By participating in this project you will have a personal guide through the process and will surely learn a thing or two about landscape design, installation and maintenance! Trees & other leafy plants can help reduce peak summer temperatures by
2-9° F Larger-scale, quality landscaping has been proven to increase home values up to 12% Plantings may attract beneficial critters like pollinators, spiders, and birds who help maintain an ecological balance in your landscape Rain Gardens can filter out 90% of nutrients and chemicals in polluted runoff - making our waterways cleaner & safer Compacted soil makes it difficult for plants to grow & take the nutrients they need from the soil Rain gardens can absorb 30% more polluted runoff than a standard traditional lawn Installing rain gardens instead of turf grass helps reduce carbon emissions from landscape equipment and vehicles needed to move and dispose of clippings Properly designed, installed and maintained rain gardens with native & adapted plants should be not fertilized or have any pesticides applied Water from a cistern or collected in a rain garden will decrease the amount of water needed for outdoor use. Outdoor water use can account for 60% of a household’s total water use

Benefits for You!

The Rain Catcher Pilot Program offers incentives like rebates and discounts to eligible property owners to install rain gardens, trees, and/or cisterns that capture and slow down stormwater. Rain gardens, trees, and cisterns add financial and ecological value to landscapes, help with drainage issues, and conserve water.

The rebates and discounts offered through the pilot program can cover more of the costs of installing rain gardens and cisterns than ever before. The other incentives like free site assessments, contractor connection, and assistance with the rebate process help make the program easier for participants.

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Participants receive a free site assessment showing how much water the hard surfaces on their property can collect, then have a free consultation with a landscape designer to discuss ways to incorporate rain gardens and/or cisterns in their landscape.

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Urban Patchwork will help streamline finding a contractor, system installation, and payment processes for homeowners.

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Savings may include a reduced drainage fee, existing Rainwater Harvesting rebates, $1000 per street tree, plus an additional $1 per gallon captured.

Residents with properties outside the current pilot program boundaries can get help connecting to several existing programs. Visit some of the links below to learn more and get connected…

Jump In

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How It Works

Read more about the program processes and steps, how to find contractors, and learn more about Waller Creek and nearby watersheds.
View Details
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Am I Eligible?

Find if your address falls within the boundaries of the Pilot Program areas and when we will be in your area.
View Details
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Resources

Learn about building and maintaining cisterns and rain gardens and finding the right plants to beautify your garden and attract wildlife!
View Details
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Get Started

Ready to jump in? Contact us to ask questions or schedule a site assessment and design visit. We’re happy to help!
View Details
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How It Works

Read more about the program processes and steps, how to find contractors, and learn more about Waller Creek and nearby watersheds.
View Details
decorative pin drop

Am I Eligible?

Find if your address falls within the boundaries of the Pilot Program areas and when we will be in your area.
View Details
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Resources

Learn about building and maintaining cisterns and rain gardens and finding the right plants to beautify your garden and attract wildlife!
View Details
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Get Started

Ready to jump in? Contact us to ask questions or schedule a site assessment and design visit. We’re happy to help!
View Details

Contact Us

Contact us below (for accessibility, please click here)

The quickest way to get started is to schedule a Site Assessment, so you can learn your property’s true rain catchment potential. When you email, call, or submit the form here, a City of Austin program ambassador will respond, answer any questions, and, if you are still interested in participating, set up a time to discuss your Site Assessment with you.

In order to follow current COVID-19 best practices, we are happy to do the site assessments and design consultation conversations by phone or video calls. The landscape design consultation visit can be done on site by following social distance guidelines and wearing face coverings, if you’re comfortable with it. Or, you can save your site assessment report and design plans for when you’re ready to have visitors.

The quickest way to get started is to schedule a Site Assessment, so you can learn your property’s true rain catchment potential. When you email, call, or submit the form here, a City of Austin program ambassador will respond, answer any questions, and, if you are still interested in participating, set up a time to discuss your Site Assessment with you.

In order to follow current COVID-19 best practices, we are happy to do the site assessments and design consultation conversations by phone or video calls. The landscape design consultation visit can be done on site by following social distance guidelines and wearing face coverings, if you’re comfortable with it. Or, you can save your site assessment report and design plans for when you’re ready to have visitors.

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