Cheap Rain Barrels, Free Rainscaping!

So I came across this really cool program that DC Department of Environment runs that I wanted to share with more neighbors. It pays over $1000 for landscaping for DC homeowners. The landscaping includes rain gardens, planting shade trees, rainwater barrels, etc. Anything to reduce storm water runoff.

What is the catch? It's a pretty popular program so there is a wait. I waited 2 months to be contacted by the agency. AND you do have to contribute, I think, $100 for the landscaping, a certain amount of money for the trees and $45 for each rain barrel, but that is a bargain for the work/installation that goes into this sort of thing.

 

I signed up during the winter, and someone came out for an "rain audit" a couple months later. A few days after that I had an appointment with a NGO that installs rain barrels. We are now the proud owners of two rain barrels! $45 a piece. I have no business interest in this. I just thought it was really cool that a DC agency exists to basically give out rain barrels and landscaping. Beats paying for and constructing bigger sewage pipes and good for the water bill for anyone out watering their garden. I've never been so excited for it to rain before. :)

 

Our neighborhood is beautiful, but a little more attention can't hurt. One of my neighbors I told is scheduled to get a rain barrel as well. I'm sure others would appreciate some free landscaping/rain barrels as well. The program is called RiverSmart. I found out about it from HillRag. More info can be found at http://ddoe.dc.gov/riversmarthomes.