Stormwater Solutions

The New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District is committed to enhancing water quality throughout the county through land conservation, stormwater management, providing technical support to citizens and organizations, and providing conservation education and outreach activities. In order to alleviate stormwater pollution in our local creeks and rivers, NHSWCD offers a number of programs that offer to pay either partially or fully, depending on location, the installation of an approved best management practice (BMP) such as a rain garden, cistern, wetland, etc.

There are four cost share programs offered to property owners within the county. Three programs can be applied in residential or commercial areas and one is a program for farmers to assist in erosion control or waste management issues. The three programs used for residential and commercial areas are: Heal Our Waterways (HOW), NHC Water Quality Improvement Program (NHC-WQIP), and Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). Short descriptions of the programs can be found on the Cost Share Brochure (PDF) or within the tabs at the end of the webpage. The program offered to farmers is called the Agriculture Cost Share Program (ACSP), which uses state-appropriated funds for the design and installation of BMPs. More information can be found in the ACSP tab at the bottom of the webpage.

It should be noted that these programs are not used to mitigate drainage or flooding issues and are only used to mitigate water quality issues such as capturing stormwater runoff from roofs and driveways.

For more information on Stormwater Solutions in your community, view the Stormwater is a Dirty Word Brochure (PDF). For more information on cost share programs, contact the Soil and Water Department.

Please watch this video of a rain garden installation for a residence located in the unincorporated area of New Hanover County. If you live in New Hanover County you may qualify for a rain garden or other type of stormwater catchment device. Click on the tabs below to become familiar with our funding programs and the devices they pay to install on your property.