What Is A Rain Garden?
A rain garden is a shallow landscaped depression that captures, cleans, and absorbs rainwater from a roof, driveway or street. Watch this 2-minute video to learn more.
By positioning a rain garden at least 10 feet from your property and directing rainwater runoff into the rain garden you redirect moisture away from your building’s foundation. Rain gardens are a great way to reduce localized flooding, standing water issues, and stormwater runnoff leaving your property. Planted with deep-rooted native plants, rain gardens help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for pollinators, butterflies, and birds.
Rain Garden Before & After
Below are some below and after photos to demonstrate the possibilities! Move the slider left and right to view the images.
Rain Garden Rebate – Part of the Lawn Be Gone! Lawn Conversion Rebate Program
Get Paid to Transform Your Landscaping!
Be part of an innovative trend in landscaping and garden design. Replace your traditional lawn with a modern landscape that includes different plants, flowers, and landscape elements—such as a rain garden. The result will be an exciting and stylish landscape that is easy to maintain, conserves water, and provides long-term benefits to you and the environment.
The Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) Lawn Be Gone! Program provides rebates to approved customers that convert water-thirsty lawns to water-efficient landscapes. To be eligible for this program an applicant must be a customer of one of the participating BAWSCA Member Agencies listed below:
Brisbane/Guadalupe Valley Municipal Improvement District
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $1/sq. ft.
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
Burlingame
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $2/sq. ft.
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
Foster City/Estero Municipal Improvement District
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $4/sq. ft. (max of $2,000 residential, $5,000 commercial)
No Rain Garden Rebate
Hillsborough
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $1/sq. ft.
No Rain Garden Rebate Program
Menlo Park
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $3/sq. ft.
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
Mid-Peninsula Water District
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $4/sq. ft.
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
North Coast County Water District
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $4/sq. ft. (max of $2,500)
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
Redwood City
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $2/sq. ft.
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
San Bruno
Lawn Be Gone! Rebate: $2/sq. ft. (max of $1,000)
Rain Garden Rebate: $300
In addition to these terms and conditions, applicants for the Rain Garden Rebate Program must also adhere to the Rain Garden Rebate Criteria Checklist.
Although the application lists June 30, 2025 as the deadline, applications submitted or processed shortly after this date will still be honored by participating agencies. The rebate program is ongoing. While rebate amounts or availability may vary slightly from year to year, most agencies participate consistently. If you have any questions, contact BAWSCA via email (bawsca@bawsca.org) or phone (650-349-3000).
