Homeowner Incentive Program (HIP)
Lake Whatcom Watershed residents, living in the Silver Beach Creek watershed or within city limits, are invited to participate in the Homeowner Incentive Program (HIP), a cooperative program sponsored by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Program participants receive assistance and reimbursement for materials when they complete projects on their property that reduce runoff and pollution entering the lake. Through a Department of Ecology Water Quality Financial Assistance Grant, City and County staff provide on-site consultations, project design, permitting assistance, and materials reimbursement. HIP empowers watershed neighbors to work together to successfully complete projects.
The focus of the Homeowner Incentive Program is to provide support for homeowners to install projects that increase water infiltration on their properties. Project examples include riparian plantings, impervious surface removal, lawn removal and replacement, phosphorus limiting rain gardens, infiltration trenches and porous paving materials.
Program Details:
As part of the grant, staff will:
- Gather specific information about your site
- Meet on-site to determine project options
- Assist with the project design and permitting process
- Help determine up to $6,000 reimbursement for project materials
- Help determine up to 75% reimbursement for professional services
- Assist with reimbursement agreement
Homeowners will:
- Choose a site-specific, appropriate project
- Complete the project and submit receipts for project materials
- Be reimbursed for money spent on project materials
To Request a Site Visit:
Check the project area map to see if you qualify.
Residents within the city limits portion of the project area can contact Eli Mackiewicz, Stormwater Assistant, at emackiewicz@cob.org or (360)778-7700.
Residents in the Whatcom County portion of the project area can contact Chip Anderson, Stormwater Planner, at canderso@co.whatcom.wa.us or (360)715-7450.
Lake Whatcom Protection
The City and County have invested millions of dollars to protect and improve the water quality in Lake Whatcom with stormwater retrofits and treatment systems, property acquisition, education and outreach, and regulation and enforcement. For these efforts to be successful, residents must also change the way water runs through and off their properties. Water that runs off residential properties often carries excess fertilizers and pesticides, pet waste, car oil, and soaps, which harm the quality of our drinking water source and increase water treatment costs.
Reference Documents:
