Philadelphia Rain Check Rebate 2026 | Up to $2,500 for Rain Gardens

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Water Rebates

The Philadelphia Water Department runs Rain Check, managed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. It helps you manage stormwater runoff with rain gardens, permeable pavers, downspout planters, and a free rain barrel. Rain gardens earn $22 per square foot and permeable pavers earn $20 per square foot, each up to a $2,500 maximum. The order of operations matters. You attend a free workshop first, then a site visit and design happen before any installation.

Up to $2,500 · Verified July 2026

Rain Check Stormwater Rebate

Open the official program site

How to apply

Confirm you own a Philadelphia property and pick a tool (rain garden, permeable pavers, downspout planter, or free rain barrel)
Register for and attend the free required virtual workshop
Schedule your property site visit through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
A contractor runs an infiltration test and prepares the design
PHS installs the approved tool and the rebate is applied to the reduced project cost

What you'll need

Proof of Philadelphia property ownership
Workshop completion confirmation
Site visit and infiltration test results
Approved project design

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks Philadelphia-appropriate native plants for the rain garden, designs an HOA-friendly layout that absorbs roof and hard-surface runoff, and assembles the plant list you can bring to your site visit.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't skip the free workshop. It is required before a site visit can be scheduled.
Don't install your own rain garden or pavers and expect reimbursement. PHS contractors do the installation through the program.
Don't assume every yard qualifies. The infiltration test at the site visit determines whether a rain garden will work on your lot.

Philadelphia Water Rebate FAQs

How much does Philadelphia Rain Check pay?

Rain gardens earn $22 per square foot and permeable pavers earn $20 per square foot, each up to a $2,500 maximum, plus a free rain barrel install (Philadelphia Water Department Rain Check, verified June 2026).

Do I have to attend a workshop?

Yes. A free virtual workshop is required before the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will schedule your site visit.

Can I install the rain garden myself?

No. PHS contractors handle the installation through the program, and the rebate comes as a reduced project cost rather than a cash reimbursement for DIY work.

Is the rain barrel really free?

Yes. Rain Check installs a rain barrel at no cost. The rain garden and permeable paver tools are subsidized at a reduced price.

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.