Colorado
Rainwater Collection Laws In Colorado
You can collect rainwater in Colorado, but the statute is narrow: no more than two barrels holding 110 gallons between them, rooftop only, used outdoors on the same property.
Statute text checked September 2026. Next review March 2027.
Allowed, with limits worth reading Where the state stands
None Permit needed
110 gal Residential volume limit
Not permitted Drinking it
What you can use it for
- Lawn irrigation
- Garden and outdoor watering on the property where it was collected
Drinking it: not permitted. Treatment is a separate question from legality, and the answer is on Is Rainwater Safe To Drink?.
Your homeowners association
Colorado 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 110 gallons is the combined capacity of at most two barrels, not 110 gallons each.
- The statute covers rooftops of a single-family residence or a multi-family residence of four units or fewer.
- The prohibition is explicit rather than implied. The statute says a person shall not use collected precipitation for drinking water or indoor household purposes.
- This is the state behind the belief that collecting rain is illegal in America. It was the closest thing to true, and it stopped being true in 2016.
- No state limit on rooftop collection
- Allowed, with limits worth reading
- Real restrictions on ordinary collection
Sources
Verified September 2026.