Rain gardens and stormwater projects · California

MWDOC RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives

Run by MWDOC / H2OC (RainSmart Rebates Pilot Program)

Limited fundsPlan requiredLast checked October 17, 2026
What you get
$0.75 per sq ft of impermeable surface treated, up to $1,500 (rain gardens or containers); gutters $5 per linear foot up to $300 (included in total)
Maximum
$1,500 per household
Who qualifies
Property owners (or with explicit owner consent) who receive water from El Toro WD, Laguna Beach County WD, Moulton Niguel WD, Santa Margarita WD, City of San Clemente, South Coast WD or Trabuco Canyon WD, and are willing to complete a landscape upgrade project.
Where
Water customers of El Toro WD, Laguna Beach County WD, Moulton Niguel WD, Santa Margarita WD, San Clemente, South Coast WD and Trabuco Canyon WD.
Status
Limited funds. Pilot program, first come first served; the official page (checked 2026-10-17) takes interest-form sign-ups and does not state remaining funding.
Type of payment
Rebate
Official program page

What you do

Install a rain garden or dry creek bed, a rain container (cistern), and/or new gutters feeding them.

Requirements

  • Rain garden: depressed basin lined or filled with rock or mulch, sized for design storm, overflow to non-eroding area, OC Garden Friendly plants or rocks
  • Containers: sized for design storm, overflow mechanism, direct conveyance by downspout or pipe
  • New gutters must connect to a garden or container
  • Wait for Notice to Proceed with design requirements

The plan or design it asks for

Staff provide design requirements with the Notice to Proceed; design must hold design storm volume.

Native plant lists for the area: Lake Forest, Mission Viejo

Make the plan in Sow

Draw the layout and build the plant list

Sow places plants on a photo of your yard and keeps a list of everything you add. Check MWDOC's rules for exactly what to submit.

Start a plan in Sow

How to apply

  1. 1Submit interest form or rebate application at h2oc.org/rainsmart
  2. 2Phone consultation with program staff
  3. 3Choose feature(s)
  4. 4Complete application
  5. 5Receive Notice to Proceed
  6. 6Build the project
  7. 7Staff verify by photos or site visit and pay rebate

Estimate your rebate

Uses the published rate per square foot of impermeable surface treated and the $1,500 cap. The program sets the final amount after its inspection.

Enter an area to see an estimate

Timing and deadlines

not published

not published

Combining it with other programs

May stack with MWD/MWDOC turf rebates (not confirmed)

Sources

Last checked October 17, 2026. See something out of date? Tell us.

Sow is not affiliated with any of these agencies or utilities. Amounts and rules change, often at the start of a fiscal year, so confirm the details on the official page before you start a project. How we research these programs

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