How to Get the RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives Program
Orange County Public Works and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) · South Orange County, California, CA
What you get
The OC Stormwater Program pays $0.75 per square foot of impermeable surface treated, up to $1,500, for rain gardens and rain containers, and the program page notes that an average home treats 1,200 square feet and receives $900. New gutters are reimbursed at $5 per linear foot up to $300, and that gutter money sits inside the same $1,500 total rather than on top of it. Eligibility is by water agency rather than by city, so check which agency bills you before applying. This is a pilot: participation is limited and operates first-come, first-served (h2oc.org RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives Program; last verified August 2026).
- Residential: $0.75 per sq ft of impermeable surface treated, up to $1,500
Are you eligible?
- Be a Orange County Public Works and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) customer
- Property located in: San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Trabuco Canyon
- Receive water from one of these seven agencies: El Toro Water District, Laguna Beach County Water District, Moulton Niguel Water District, Santa Margarita Water District, City of San Clemente, South Coast Water District, or Trabuco Canyon Water District
- Be the property owner, or have explicit consent from the property owner to do the project (the program does not require the applicant to be the owner)
- Rain gardens and rain containers share one combined rate and one combined cap, not separate line items
- Participation is limited and first-come, first-served; claim a spot through the program page before starting work
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.
The application checklist
How to apply for the RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives Program
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with Orange County Public Works and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with Orange County Public Works and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) 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 Orange County Public Works and Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) 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 RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives Program 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.