How to Get the Residential Stormwater Management Incentive Program

What you get

The City of Elmhurst reimburses homeowners who voluntarily add stormwater storage on their own property, paying $8.00 per cubic foot of rain garden storage up to 400 cubic feet and $8.80 per cubic foot above that, capped at $5,000. Rain gardens are built to a 6 inch inundation depth and are a named practice in the Incentive Payment Table in Elmhurst Municipal Code Sec. 14.09; permeable pavers, dry wells, underground storage and rainwater harvesting are separately rated alternatives. Two things commonly misread: this is a full reimbursement rather than a 50/50 match, paid at the table rate or your actual project cost, whichever is lower, and the rate is the same $8.00 and $8.80 whether you do the work yourself or hire a contractor. It is a one-time only reimbursement per property. A rain garden installed to satisfy the stormwater requirements of another permit does not qualify, and a rain garden that receives this reimbursement cannot later be used to meet a future permit requirement. Permits, the Stormwater Management 1 and 2 inspections and a final inspection are all required, and the City funds the program annually on a first-come basis until that year allocation is exhausted (Elmhurst Municipal Code Sec. 14.09; last verified August 2026).

• Residential: $8.00 per cubic foot of rain garden storage up to 400 cu ft, $8.80 per cubic foot above that, up to $5,000

Are you eligible?

• Be a City of Elmhurst customer
• Property located in: Elmhurst
• Elmhurst residential property owner
• Obtain applicable permits and hire your own contractor
• Stormwater Management 1 and 2 inspections plus a final inspection must be completed
• Paid invoices and a Reimbursement Request form with system type, size and dimensions
• One-time only reimbursement per property
• Systems required as an element of another permit are not eligible
• A system that receives reimbursement cannot be used to meet a future permit requirement

What applying usually looks like

A general guide. Always confirm the exact steps on the official program page, since each provider runs its process a little differently.

1. 1

   Apply and get written approval first

   Submit your application to City of Elmhurst and wait for written approval before you remove any turf or start work. Starting early is the most common reason a rebate is denied.

2. 2

   Do the conversion

   Replace your lawn with the qualifying landscaping, following the eligibility requirements above.

3. 3

   Submit your claim

   After the work is done, submit your claim on the official program page. Confirm the exact forms, receipts, and any photos they require there, since those vary by program.