How to Get the WaterWise Rainscape Rebate
Austin Water · Central Texas, TX
What you get
Austin Water pays $0.50 per square foot of landscape converted into rainwater-retaining features such as rain gardens, berms, swales, and terraces, with a 100 sq ft minimum and a 3,000 sq ft maximum, up to $1,500 per property as a lifetime limit. Areas where healthy turf grass is removed earn an additional $0.50 per square foot (Austin Water Rebates, Tools and Programs page and rebate portal Rebate Details page, last verified October 2026, limits confirmed by Austin Water the same month). Under the program guidelines the cap is a one-time limit per property, the property must already be developed (new construction is excluded), and pre-approval is required before work begins, with pre-approval windows December 1 to March 31 and June 1 to September 30 (Austin Water WaterWise Rainscape Rebate program guidelines, last verified June 2026).
- Residential: Up to $1,500 ($0.50/sq ft of rainwater-retaining landscape)
Are you eligible?
- Be a Austin Water customer
- Property located in: Austin
- Residential customer of Austin Water
- Property must already be developed (new construction excluded)
- Minimum 100 sq ft of rainwater-retaining landscape features
- Pre-approval required before starting work
- Submit application within 90 days of project completion with photos
Before you start
Do not remove turf or begin work before you have written approval. This program requires pre-approval. Starting early can disqualify the project even if everything else is correct.
Application window: Pre-approval: Dec 1 to Mar 31 and Jun 1 to Sep 30
Full Austin guide
Austin has a complete rebate guide with every local program, qualifying plants, and a step-by-step application walkthrough.
Austin water rebates: full guideThe application checklist
How to apply for the WaterWise Rainscape Rebate
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with Austin Water before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with Austin Water and take before photos of the existing yard first.
- 3
Do the work
Complete the project, take before and after photos, and save every receipt.
- 4
Submit your application
Send Austin Water the completed application with your photos and receipts, then watch for the confirmation.
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the WaterWise Rainscape Rebate rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
Every program listed cites its official source, and each program page shows the date we last verified it against that source. Program details change throughout the year, so always confirm requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with the program before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.
See a problem with a program? Report it
Programs change throughout the year. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.