The City of Overland Park gave more stormwater cost-share funding to the public in 2021 than any other year in the program’s 11-year history.
The stormwater cost share program encourages residents and business owners to incorporate stormwater management strategies on their properties through reimbursement for rain barrels, native trees and more.
This year, the City gave out the program’s full budgeted amount of $15,000, which hadn’t happened previously. That’s because, for the first time, enough people completed projects to use up all of the funding available.
In total, 67 residents added more than $55,000 in improvements to their homes this year. Projects included:
- 25 rain barrels
- 13 native trees
- 11 native buffers/swales
- 10 native plantings
- 8 rain gardens
The stormwater cost-share program started in 2011 to help improve water quality in Overland Park. The City receives funds from the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program to provide this program to residents.
Stormwater management projects help capture and combat stormwater runoff during rainstorms, mitigating factors that contribute to flooding. Unless otherwise controlled, stormwater runoff can affect water quality, picking up excess nutrients and pollutants as it runs off into local streams.
Rain barrels, rain gardens and other projects help to collect the water before it can reach streams, and it can then be repurposed to water lawns and gardens.
Residents must apply before they begin their project and can receive up to 50 percent reimbursement of the total project cost.
To date, the program has provided reimbursement to 300-plus projects, with more than $70,000 reimbursed since the project began.
The stormwater cost-share program runs from the spring through the fall, and funding is available on a first come, first served basis.
The program will resume in spring 2022.