DC RiverSmart Homes 2026 | Free Stormwater Audit and Native Plantings

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Washington, District of Columbia Water Rebates

RiverSmart Homes is the DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) cost-share program that helps homeowners add stormwater practices to their property. It starts with a free stormwater audit that determines which practices your property qualifies for. You then pay a small copay and DOEE arranges the installation. Practices include rain gardens, BayScaping native plant beds, shade trees, and rain barrels.

Free audit + low copays · Verified June 2026

RiverSmart Homes Stormwater Practices

Open the official program site

How to apply

Confirm you are a DC property owner or resident
Request the free RiverSmart Homes stormwater audit through DOEE
Complete the audit so DOEE can determine which practices you qualify for
Choose your practices and pay the per-practice copay
DOEE arranges installation of the rain garden, BayScaping bed, tree, or rain barrel

What you'll need

Proof of DC residency or property ownership
Completed stormwater audit results
Signed participation and copay agreement

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks Chesapeake Bay watershed natives suited to your DC yard, designs an HOA-friendly BayScaping or rain garden layout, and builds the plant list you can hand to the DOEE installer.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't start any installation before your stormwater audit is complete. The audit decides eligibility.
Don't plan more than two rain gardens or two BayScaping beds. Each practice has a per-property cap.
Don't substitute non-native plants. BayScaping beds use Chesapeake Bay watershed natives.

Washington Water Rebate FAQs

How much does RiverSmart Homes cost the homeowner?

Copays are small and per practice: $200 for a 120 sq ft BayScaping native bed, $200 for a 50 sq ft rain garden, free shade tree installation, and $100 per rain barrel, with caps per property (DC DOEE RiverSmart Homes, verified June 2026).

Do I need the stormwater audit?

Yes. The free stormwater audit comes first and determines which practices your property qualifies for. Work cannot start before it is done.

What plants are used in the BayScaping beds?

BayScaping beds use Chesapeake Bay watershed native plants. RiverSmart Homes is a stormwater program, so the plantings are chosen to capture and filter runoff.

Can I combine practices?

Yes. Most homeowners combine a rain garden, a BayScaping bed, a tree, and rain barrels to reach a few thousand dollars of installed value for a modest copay.

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.