Marin water utilities boost rainwater harvesting incentives

Marin County’s major water providers have raised rebates for rainwater catchment systems because of county funding.

The Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District are offering customers with the systems rebates of 75 cents per gallon of water — 25 cents more than before. The offer is supported by $20,000 in funding from the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program.

The grant marks a collaboration between Marin County and the water utilities to encourage residents to save water. Collecting rainwater to use for irrigation also helps protect the area from potential flooding during storms, and prevents pollutants collected through water runoff from entering bodies of water.

“I think we just saw that there was an alignment with our goals and their goals and it makes a lot more sense to go at it together, recognizing the mutual benefits as opposed to having separate programs independent of each other,” said Carrie Pollard, MMWD water efficiency manager.

The joint initiative raised the rebate cap to $2,000 per customer, compared to the previous $1,000 maximum. Between the two water utilities, 142 customers have used the rainwater rebates and have stored more than 120,000 gallons of rainwater to date.

“We are pleased to be able to collaborate with partners like Marin Water and the North Marin Water District to expand on the great work these districts are already doing while also reducing impacts on county stormwater systems,” Supervisor Dennis Rodoni said. “The key to combating climate change is collaboration, and this initiative certainly demonstrates that.”

Both agencies hope the increased financial incentives will help bolster participation. Pollard said that when MMWD changed the incentive from $50 for one rain barrel to a per-gallon rate around 2020, it saw bigger catchment systems being installed.

“That was really exciting to see,” Pollard said.

Pollard said participants have to do their own research on what rainwater catchment system works best, keeping in mind that the system should be near any gardens or irrigation systems that would use the collected water. Once the system is installed, customers can send a photo to MMWD and apply for the one-time rebate.

“Then we cut them a check,” Pollard said.

Ryan Grisso, the water conservation and communications manager for the North Marin district, said the process is similar. However, it will often do phone consultations to help customers determine if they qualify.

“Usually people embarking on this journey have done a fair amount of research,” Grisso said.

Rainwater catchment systems vary in size and style. Rain barrels are a popular method, although Pollard said she has seen people convert swimming pools into rainwater harvesting systems.

“You want to match the size of the system up with what it is going to be irrigating,” Pollard said. “There are some really simple systems. It’s really easy with a few minor tools.”

Both Pollard and Grisso said the programs are also an educational opportunity for residents, while offering a way to save money on water bills and be environmentally friendly.

“It’s a project, but it helps people really engage in their water use. They’d have their own water source on site, which is fun to help them appreciate the value of that water and where that water comes from,” Pollard said.

Grisso added that many people might not realize how fast water levels deplete — until the water source is right in front of them. More than 600 gallons of water can be collected for every inch of rain that falls on a 1,000 square foot roof.

“Water awareness is a big aspect, but one of the big impacts of the program is that people really get a chance to learn how much water they use and how quickly it gets used,” Grisso said.