Rainwater Collection Laws In California

What you can use it for

• Landscape irrigation
• Onsite use of water captured from a building rooftop

Drinking it: the statute is silent. Treatment is a separate question from legality, and the answer is on Is Rainwater Safe To Drink?.

Your homeowners association

California has no statute limiting what an association can do about rain barrels, so the covenant you signed is the rule that applies.

The general case is on HOA Rules And Rain Barrels.

What surprises people

• The operative sentence is short: use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit under Section 1201.
• The Act defines a rainwater capture system as one that captures, retains and stores rainwater flowing off a building rooftop for later use on the same site. Rain running off the ground is a different question.
• The Act is about water rights and says nothing about drinking it. Indoor plumbing and potable use are governed by building and health rules, which are local and which this page does not cover.
• Many California water agencies run rebates for rain barrels and cisterns. They are agency programs rather than state law, so check with your own supplier.