Peconic Estuary Homeowner Rewards 2026 | Up to $500 for Native Gardens and Rain Gardens

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Peconic Estuary, New York Water Rebates

The Peconic Estuary Partnership runs a Homeowner Rewards Program for residents in the Peconic Estuary watershed on the East End of Long Island. It reimburses up to $500 for replacing turf or pavement with a native plant garden, building a rain garden, or installing rain barrels. You apply first, get approval, then build the project and submit receipts and photos for a rebate check.

Up to $500 · Verified June 2026

Peconic Estuary Homeowner Rewards Program

Open the official program site

How to apply

Confirm you live in one of the six eligible Peconic watershed towns
Complete the online or printed application and submit it for approval
Wait for written approval before starting the project
Build the native garden, rain garden, or install rain barrels using native species
Submit receipts and photos to receive your rebate check of up to $500

What you'll need

Proof of residency in an eligible Peconic watershed town
Completed application form
Approval confirmation
Itemized receipts for plants, materials, or rain barrels
Photos of the completed project showing native plantings

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks Peconic-appropriate East End natives, designs an HOA-friendly layout that meets the 50 square foot minimum and replaces turf, and assembles your plant-list and photo packet for the rebate.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't start the project before you get written approval. Approval comes first, then you build.
Don't use non-native plants. Only native species in the program database qualify.
Don't go below the 50 square foot minimum for a native garden or rain garden, or skip mosquito netting on rain barrels.

Peconic Estuary Water Rebate FAQs

How much does the Peconic Estuary Homeowner Rewards Program pay?

Up to $500 total, with a native plant garden or rain garden eligible for up to $500 and rain barrels up to $100 each (Peconic Estuary Partnership, verified June 2026).

Which towns are eligible?

Brookhaven, East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold, for residents within the Peconic Estuary watershed.

Do I need approval before I start?

Yes. You submit the application and get written approval first, then build the project, then submit receipts and photos for a rebate check.

What size does the garden need to be?

A native plant garden or rain garden must be at least 50 square feet and replace turf or pavement. Rain barrels must hold at least 50 gallons and have mosquito netting.

Free step-by-step help with every rebate above

Every program above comes with a free guided checklist in the Pollinator Patch app: the steps in order, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos and receipts together. A few high-value programs also offer an optional ready-to-file application packet for a one-time $29.99.