How to Get the RiverSmart Rewards Stormwater Fee Discount Rebate
DC Dept. of Energy & Environment (DOEE) + DC Water · Washington, DC, DC
Yes. Washington DC's RiverSmart Rewards program discounts your DOEE Stormwater Fee by up to 55 percent and your DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge by up to 20 percent when you install green infrastructure such as a rain garden that holds runoff on your property (DC DOEE and DC Water, last verified June 2026).
What you get
An ongoing monthly discount (not a one-time rebate): up to 55% off the DOEE Stormwater Fee plus up to 20% off the DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge for installing green infrastructure that retains runoff, including bioretention (rain gardens) and BayScaping. RiverSmart Homes participants are auto-enrolled once a practice is installed; the discount scales to the runoff retained (maximum at full retention of a 1.2-inch storm). Reapply every 3 years (DC DOEE + DC Water; last verified June 2026).
- Residential: Up to 55% off the DOEE stormwater fee + up to 20% off the DC Water Clean Rivers charge
How much is the DC RiverSmart Rewards discount?
RiverSmart Rewards lowers two charges on your DC Water bill at once: up to 55 percent off the DOEE Stormwater Fee and up to 20 percent off the DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge. One application covers both. The discount scales with how much runoff your green infrastructure retains, reaching the maximum when it holds the runoff from a 1.2 inch storm (DC DOEE and DC Water, last verified June 2026).
- Up to 55 percent off the DOEE Stormwater Fee
- Up to 20 percent off the DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge
- One application covers both discounts
Who qualifies for RiverSmart Rewards?
You qualify if you are a current DC Water customer who pays both the Stormwater Fee and the Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge, you are current on your DC Water bill, and your property is in the District. Homeowners who go through the RiverSmart Homes program are enrolled in RiverSmart Rewards automatically once their first practice is installed (DC DOEE, last verified June 2026).
What landscaping qualifies?
The credit rewards green infrastructure that retains stormwater on your property: rain gardens and bioretention, BayScaping beds, permeable pavement, green roofs, rain barrels, and cisterns. A rain garden is the most common choice for a yard, and deep-rooted native plants are what make it work, since they open the soil for drainage and handle both wet and dry spells. The credit is tied to the practice retaining runoff, so the native planting is part of qualifying rather than the qualifier on its own.
- Rain gardens and bioretention
- Permeable pavement and green roofs
- Rain barrels and cisterns
- BayScaping native plant beds
Is RiverSmart Rewards still active in 2026?
Yes. The program is active as of our last check in June 2026. The discount stays on your bill while the practice keeps working, and residents reapply three years after install to keep it (DC DOEE, last verified June 2026).
Can you earn it and keep an HOA or condo board happy?
A rain garden can be designed to read as an intentional, tidy bed rather than a wild patch, which is what most boards care about. Keep a clean edge, a defined shape, and a deliberate plant palette. Review your own building or association rules before you start, since they vary.
At a glance
| Credit | Up to 55% off the DOEE Stormwater Fee plus up to 20% off the DC Water Clean Rivers charge |
| Applies to | Your monthly DC Water bill |
| Who qualifies | DC Water customers paying both the Stormwater Fee and Clean Rivers charge |
| Renewal | Reapply every 3 years |
| Status | Active (verified June 2026) |
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.
Recurring stormwater-fee credit, not a one-time cash rebate.
How to apply
Confirm the current details on the official program page before you start, since terms can change.
- 1
Install qualifying green infrastructure
Put in a rain garden or another practice that retains runoff on your property.
- 2
Apply once for both discounts
Use the RiverSmart Rewards application at doee.dc.gov/riversmartrewards. Choose the Simple Application if your practice handles 2,000 square feet or less of impervious area, which covers most homes.
- 3
Submit and wait for review
Submit online through the DOEE portal or by mail. DOEE reviews and inspects the practice.
- 4
See the discount on your DC Water bill
Once approved, both discounts appear on your monthly DC Water bill. Reapply three years after install.
Common questions
Is RiverSmart Rewards the same as RiverSmart Homes?+
No. RiverSmart Homes helps with the upfront cost of installing green infrastructure. RiverSmart Rewards is the ongoing discount on your stormwater charges afterward. RiverSmart Homes participants are auto-enrolled in Rewards once a practice is installed.
Does one application really cover both discounts?+
Yes. A single RiverSmart Rewards application through DOEE covers both the DOEE Stormwater Fee discount and the DC Water Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge discount.
How long does the discount last?+
It stays on your bill as long as the practice keeps working. Residents reapply three years after install to keep it active.
We compile these programs from utility and city pages, and not every amount here has been independently confirmed. Program details also change throughout the year. Always verify requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with your water utility 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.