CONTACT: Donna Henry (DDOE) 202.299.3338; [email protected]
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The District Department of the Environment (DDOE) has launched the RiverSmart Rewards program, which provides District property owners and tenants who install systems that retain stormwater runoff, with discounts of up to 55% on its stormwater fee.
RiverSmart Rewards offers a financial incentive to encourage installation and maintenance of stormwater retention best management practices (BMPs) that prevent stormwater pollution from entering the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers and their tributaries. Eligible BMPs include green roofs, bioretention, rainwater harvesting, and permeable pavement. Discounts are calculated based on the total volume of stormwater that a BMP, or combination of BMPs, retains on site.
The maximum 55% discount amount is available to sites that have installed BMPs with the capacity to retain the volume of stormwater runoff created by a 1.2-inch storm event. The discount decreases proportionately when sites retain less than the volume of stormwater created by a 1.2-inch storm event. These discounts will be applied to the DDOE Stormwater Fee, which is charged on DC Water utility bills. The monthly charge is $2.67 per 1,000 square feet of impervious surface.
Those seeking to take advantage of this new discount program may apply to DDOE using the RiverSmart Rewards Standard Application. Next summer, DDOE will provide a simplified application to properties managing less than 2,000 square feet of impervious surface.
Customers who are awarded RiverSmart Rewards will automatically be enrolled in the Clean Rivers Impervious Area Charge (IAC) Incentive Program, which offers a discount of up to 4% on the IAC. The IAC Incentive Program has been available since October 1, 2013.
By incentivizing the installation and maintenance of practices that prevent stormwater from running off into District waterbodies, DDOE’s RiverSmart Rewards Program will help to advance the goals of Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s Sustainable DC plan, which includes restoring our rivers to a swimmable and fishable condition.
Application forms and more information are at RiverSmart Rewards. The final Stormwater Fee Discount Program rule and Response to Comments document is also available.
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