RAINWISE PROGRAM & PROJECTS
ABOUT THE rainwise program
RainWise is a partnership between Seattle Public Utilities and King County that helps private property owners manage roof runoff through rain gardens and cisterns. These features don't just protect our environment and health—they add curb appeal and provide free water for your summer garden.
Sustainable Design, Subsidized. Transforming your outdoor space into an eco-friendly sanctuary is more accessible than ever. Through the RainWise rebate program, many Seattle property owners find that their rain garden or cistern project is largely—or even fully—funded by SPU and King County.
Why choose Vireo Design Studio?
Expertise: We’ve been a trained, authorized RainWise professional since the program’s launch in 2010.
Maximize Your Investment with RainWise Rebates: Vireo Design Studio specializes in a client-focused design process and has expertise navigating the technical requirements of the RainWise program to ensure you receive the maximum benefit. Confirm your eligibility at 700milliongallons.org and contact us to schedule a complimentary site consultation.
Impact--Preserve the Salish Sea, One Garden at a Time: Vireo Design Studio believes that beautiful design and environmental stewardship go hand-in-hand. By choosing a RainWise-certified installation, you aren't just improving your property—you are joining a city-wide mission to protect Seattle’s fragile waterways. Together, we can reduce runoff, prevent pollution in the Puget Sound, and ensure a cleaner, greener future for our community.
RAINWISE rain garden PROJECTS
Mimicking Nature: The Art & Science of the Rain Garden
Urban development has disrupted the natural water cycle, but your landscape can help restore it. Our rain garden designs turn "empty" and chaotic spaces into a high-performing ecosystem. Using a blend of specialized bioretention soil and hardy, native plants, we capture downspout runoff before it reaches the storm drain. This "slow-and-soak" method replicates the way Pacific Northwest forests handled rain for millennia. The result? A landscape that isn't just beautiful—it's a working part of Seattle’s environmental recovery.
rainwise cistern projects
Harvest the Rain: From Runoff to Resource
Stormwater cisterns offer an elegant solution to Seattle’s seasonal water cycle. These above-ground installations act as a buffer for our local waterways, capturing peak storm volumes and releasing them slowly to prevent urban flooding.
By integrating a cistern into your RainWise design, you gain a dual-purpose asset: an automated drainage assistant in the winter and a sustainable irrigation source in the summer. It’s a simple, high-impact way to make your property work in harmony with the Pacific Northwest climate.