Rainwater subsidy programs

Due to the decreasing water resources and the changing nature of rainfall (rare, but intense and short-lasting storms), more and more programs are being developed in Poland to help manage rainwater and use it for one's own needs. By retaining rainwater on our own property, we help not only to protect the environment, but also can save on water bills.

Local programs supporting  with subsidies residents using rainwater retaining installations:

Legnica Program „Miasto Gąbka”

Legnica joined the cities which counteract drought and retain rainwater. The program Miasto Gąbka, planned for 2019-2023, provides for the management of rainwater in the city.

The key stage of the program for the residents of Legnica is the second part, in which the city plans to carry out 10 projects collecting rainwater on home properties.

The remaining two stages of the program concern the inventory of urban greenery, analysis of technical infrastructure and geological and soil conditions. At the beginning of 2020, the designation of the most favorable areas for rainwater retention began. The final part of the Legnica program will be the establishment of a municipal rainwater retention system, the creation of rain gardens and the elimination of parts of the city's water-impermeable surfaces.

Łódź - DESZCZÓWKA Gathering of rainwater

In the Lodzkie Voivodship, a program has been created for the years 2020-2022 aimed at effective but economical use of water resources. It was envisaged that the grant amount would be up to 70% of eligible costs, provided that the upper limit of financing may not exceed PLN 5,000.

Regulations of the DESZCZÓWKA Program Gathering rainwater includes a list of activities financed:

• purchase of materials, plants necessary for the construction of gardens, sinkholes, wells, tanks and rainwater distribution systems,
• construction and assembly works.

Geodetic measurements, investor's supervision and preparation of project documentation will not be financed under the DESZCZÓWKA program.

The planned budget for the DESZCZÓWKA program in Łódź is PLN 4,000,000.

The program improvement and modernization phase has now been announced. The acceptance of applications was suspended until the WFOŚiGW offer was announced with increased attractiveness and accessibility for the inhabitants of the Łódź Province. Applications submitted after May 25, 2020 will not be considered. In order to follow current information about the DESZCZÓWKA program, Rainwater collection, please click here.

Warsaw - Warsaw captures the water

The "Warsaw Water Resource Protection Program" program under the slogan "Warsaw grabs water" has started in the capital. Justyna Glusman, Director and Coordinator of Sustainable Development and Greenery of the Capital City of Warsaw encourages its use. Warszawy - "ast year, we launched new subsidies for small retention devices, i.e. installations that help catch rain. The water collected in this way can be used, for example, to water the garden. We adapt to climate change. The more water we manage to keep in the city, the less drought will be felt. "

In accordance with the program regulations, a subsidy may be obtained for the construction of devices for collecting rainwater and snowmelt. The following are subject to refunds:

• retention and drainage devices (installations set in the ground, enabling temporary collection of rainwater and infiltration into the ground, e.g. drainage boxes, absorbent wells),
• retention reservoirs (airtight reservoirs to collect rainwater, ground or ground, through which water does not penetrate into the ground, but from which water can be collected for reuse, mounted on a rainwater drainage system or in the form of ponds).

If the submitted application is approved, you can receive:

• up to PLN 4,000 (subsidy for natural persons and residents running a business),
• up to PLN 10,000 (other applicants not included in the public finance sector),
• up to 80% of the actual investment implementation costs (for budgetary sector entities that are municipal or poviat legal entities).

Applications for grants and more information on the update of the Warsaw program can be found here.

Piaseczno Commune

In the Piaseczno commune, residents were offered subsidies from the commune's budget for the purchase, assembly and construction of elements forming rainwater systems used to retain rainwater and meltwater, e.g. absorbent wells, moguls, rain gardens, and retention reservoirs.

Both housing communities and natural persons can apply for financial assistance.

The grant regulations provide for the financing of 80% of the documented costs of the investment, but not more than PLN 5,000 for natural persons and not more than PLN 10,000 for other legal entities.

Subsidiaries are obliged to maintain the financed investment for at least 3 years. If this condition is not met, it will be necessary to return the subsidy in full with interest.

On June 15, 2020, due to the use of the provided budget, the call for applications for funding investments for collecting rainwater was suspended. Any information about re-launching the program will be posted here.

Gdansk

Gdańsk has joined the cities encouraging residents to retain rainwater. "We invite residents to submit applications for co-financing of small retention," says Maciej Lorek, director of the Environmental Department of Gdańsk municipality. - At the same time, I would like to remind you that applications can be submitted for absorption wells and drainage boxes, not for co-financing rain gardens ”.

The duration of the program is scheduled from 1 January to 31 December 2020. If applications are not processed by the end of this year, they will be considered in 2021. All information on applications and required documents are available on the website of the Public Information Bulletin of the City of Gdańsk and here.

Individuals, housing communities, legal persons and entrepreneurs may apply for funding. In the event of a favorable examination of the application, it is possible to obtain a one-off subsidy in the amount of 100% of expenses, but not more than PLN 4,000 for legal persons, entrepreneurs, excluding communities and housing cooperatives, and not more than PLN 10,000 for housing communities and cooperatives.

The subsidy covers not only expenses from the calendar year in which the subsidy was applied for, as well as from the year preceding it.

It is worth paying attention to the information that the subsidy does not include technical infrastructure related to rainwater management requiring permits for the construction of new road, housing, service and industrial investments.

The program will run until the allocated budget is exhausted.

Gdynia

Gdynia also is a city encouraging retention of rainwater and snowmelt. All information on the possibility of obtaining funding for the retention and use of rainwater is available on the website of the Department of Environment of the City of Gdynia.

What should a complete grant application contain?

• Description of the investment,
• information on the area from which rainwater will be captured,
• basic information about the applicant.

Gdynia makes it possible to obtain 80% of eligible costs, but the total value of the grant will not exceed PLN 10,000.

As part of the subsidy, it is possible to obtain reimbursement for:

• execution of the development project, collection and use of rainwater,
• purchase and installation of devices, i.e. flower pots, drain pipes, overflow pipes, drainage pipes, elements of an absorbent well,
• performance of earthworks.

PLN 63,000 was allocated from the city budget for the implementation of the above-mentioned activities. It is a fund for 2020, we will keep you updated on the next editions of the program.

Cracow

For several years, Krakow has been promoting the retention and use of rainwater on its own properties. Since 2014, the Small stormwater retention program has been operating there, under which the city of Krakow grants subsidies for the implementation of rainwater systems.

Due to the very high interest in funding for rainwater retention, new rules of the program were announced in March 2020, applications are accepted from June 1. Thanks to the changes, it is possible to obtain greater financial support than before.

The amount of the subsidy depends on the type of investment and may amount to 80% of the costs incurred.

In the case of above-ground, closed, free-standing rainwater tanks with connection to the gutter, it is possible to obtain PLN 200-500 depending on the size of the tank.

You can get 6,000 PLN for underground tanks with a capacity of up to 5 m³.

In the case of underground tanks with a capacity of 5-10 m³, it is possible to obtain up to PLN 8,000, and for tanks with a capacity of over 10 m³, even PLN 10,000.

The highest subsidy of up to PLN 12,000 will be granted for the implementation of bioretention systems, drainage or irrigation of green areas, wooded areas and gardens.

The huge interest of Krakow residents in the rainwater retention program has exceeded the initial assumptions of the program. It was initially estimated that with such a large number of applications, their implementation may exceed the budget for 2020 allocated to the city of Krakow.

In such a situation, subsidies will be awarded in the event of obtaining additional funds or in the next edition of the program. Patterns of completed applications and updates regarding the small rainwater retention program in Krakow are available here.

Bielsko-Biała "Bielsko-Biała is catching the rain"

Under the program "Bielsko Biała catches rain, until July 2020, residents of Bielsko-Biała could submit applications for subsidies for overground and underground rainwater tanks.

As much as PLN 700,000 has been allocated to the program from the city budget. Due to the great interest in the action and the exhaustion of the intended funds, the next edition of the program has already been announced.

In 2020, PLN 3,000 could be obtained for an underground reservoir larger than 1 m³. For tanks smaller than 1 m³, but with a capacity of min. 0.3 m³ up to PLN 1,000.

The regulations of the next edition of the program and changes in the resolution of the Council in Bielsko Biała regarding the co-financing of rainwater tanks from the city budget will appear here.

Sosnowiec - Po(d)lej deszczem

Ecological awareness is also growing among the inhabitants of Sosnowiec, mainly due to the location of their city in the mining region.

In 2020, a program called Po(d)lej deszczen was carried out in Sosnowiec, for which PLN 100,000 was originally allocated. However, the budget also ran out very quickly due to the huge number of applications flowing in. The city decided to increase the amount of money allocated to co-financing investments that allow water retention. Again, PLN 100,000 was obtained from the city's money.

In Sosnowiec, the subsidies granted amount to 80% of the entire investment cost and PLN 4,000 at a time.

Subsidies are subject to:

• purchase, assembly and earthworks,
• modernization of the existing installation.

Thanks to the Po(d)lej deszczem program, it is much cheaper to build a rain garden in a container or ground, install an underground or above-ground tank for rainwater and meltwater on your property.

Information on subsequent editions of the program can be found in the Public Information Bulletin of the City of Sosnowiec.

Sopot

The city of Sopot encourages its residents to save water - since 2011, you can get a subsidy for drainage systems and rainwater collection systems within your own property. In the case of Sopot, applications for co-financing can be submitted to thethe Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection of the City of Sopot.

The subsidy program provides for co-financing of up to 50% of eligible costs, but no more than PLN 1,000 for a single-family building and up to PLN 5,000 for a multi-family building.

Legal and natural persons, entrepreneurs, housing communities, as well as representatives of the public finance sector may apply for financial support.

Applications for subsidies can most often be submitted by March 31 of the year in which we intend to carry out the investment or until the funds provided for in the budget are exhausted. If the pool of money provided for the rainwater is not used by the end of March, it is also possible to apply at a later date.

The templates of the necessary documents are available here.

Lublin - Water resources protection program for the city of Lublin

Lublin has joined the cities that financially support residents who plan to carry out an investment enabling the retention of rainwater.

As part of the Water Resource Protection Program for the city of Lublin, a budget of PLN 50,000 has been provided for 2020.

Due to the large number of incoming applications, it was necessary to launch a special hotline and it was decided to increase the amount of money provided for funding. For the following years of the Water Resource Protection Program for the city of Lublin, it was assumed that the budget would reach PLN 600,000.

As part of the subsidy, it is possible to obtain funding of up to 70% of eligible costs, up to PLN 5,000. Natural persons may apply for financial support.

Funding is provided for:

• purchase and installation of devices forming the rain system,
• modernization of the existing installation in order to enable the connection of the rainwater collection system.

Grants are awarded in the order in which applications are submitted and examined, so it is not worth delaying their submission.

A model application for a subsidy and up-to-date information can be found in the Public Information Bulletin.

Choroszcz commune

The advantages and, above all, the need to save water are noticed not only by the authorities of large cities. The subsidy program was also created in the Choroszcz commune in Podlasie.

The following entities may apply for co-financing from the Choroszcz commune:

• persons not in arrears with the payment of taxes and with the payment of local fees,
• persons residing and permanently registered in the Choroszcz commune,
• physical people.

After a positive consideration of the submitted application, it is possible in the Choroszcz Commune to obtain a subsidy of up to 50% of eligible costs (no more than PLN 2,000) within the budget for a given year.

The subsidy is subject to:

• modernization of the current rain system in order to improve it,
• purchase and assembly of elements forming the rainwater retention system (including tanks with a capacity of not less than 2m³).

Applications can be submitted until June 30 each year at the Town Hall in Choroszcz. They are available on the website or at the Registry Office of the Municipal Office in Choroszcz.

Aid for farmers - Rural Development Program for 2014-2020

The problem of impoverished water resources directly affects farmers and their farms. In response to the increasingly frequent droughts, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture ARMA joined the Rural Development Program for 2014-2020.

One of the categories of investments for which farmers can get a subsidy is the construction of wells and storage reservoirs. Thanks to the co-financing, it is also possible to modernize the existing ground irrigation installations.

By using the Rural Development Program, it is possible to obtain a refund of 50% of investment costs, assuming a minimum investment cost of PLN 15,000.

Farmers who own farms with an area of ​​1-300 ha and earn a living from plant or livestock production can apply for subsidies. It is also necessary to belong to the national system of producer and farm records. Applications for subsidies are submitted to the regional branches of ARMA. You can download them from the website.