States where it is Illegal to Collect Rainwater 2024

	Alabama	No Restrictions
	Alaska	No Restrictions
	Arizona	Offer Incentives
	Arkansas	Restrictions
	California	Restrictions
	Colorado	Restrictions
	Connecticut	No Restrictions
	Delaware	No Restrictions
	Florida	Offer Incentives
	Georgia	Restrictions
	Hawaii	Offer Incentives
	Idaho	No Restrictions
	Illinois	Restrictions
	Indiana	No Restrictions
	Iowa	No Restrictions
	Kansas	Offer Incentives
	Kentucky	No Restrictions
	Louisiana	No Restrictions
	Maine	No Restrictions
	Maryland	Offer Incentives
	Massachusetts	No Restrictions
	Michigan	Offer Incentives
	Minnesota	Offer Incentives
	Mississippi	No Restrictions
	Missouri	No Restrictions
	Montana	No Restrictions
	Nebraska	No Restrictions
	Nevada	Restrictions
	New Hampshire	No Restrictions
	New Jersey	Offer Incentives
	New Mexico	Offer Incentives
	New York	No Restrictions
	North Carolina	Offer Incentives
	North Dakota	Offer Incentives
	Ohio	Restrictions
	Oklahoma	No Restrictions
	Oregon	Offer Incentives
	Pennsylvania	Offer Incentives
	Rhode Island	Offer Incentives
	South Carolina	No Restrictions
	South Dakota	No Restrictions
	Tennessee	No Restrictions
	Texas	Offer Incentives
	Utah	Restrictions
	Vermont	No Restrictions
	Virginia	Restrictions
	Washington	Restrictions
	West Virginia	No Restrictions
	Wisconsin	Restrictions
	Wyoming	Offer Incentives

State Laws on Rainwater Collection

As global warming and the threat of water scarcity continue to loom, the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting is regaining attention. Embracing traditional wisdom, many homes across the U.S. are installing systems to gather and store rainwater for on-site use, which not only reduces the strain on municipal water facilities but also supports conservation efforts. In a country as geographically diverse as the United States, the laws surrounding the collection of rainwater vary. While the Federal Government holds no restrictions regarding the practice, state laws tend to differ based on historic water-rights, local ecosystems, and contemporary conservation priorities. Key findings include:

A significant majority of the states show considerable support for rainwater harvesting. These states not only permit rainwater collection but also offer incentives to encourage residents to do so.
However, five states — Georgia, Washington, Utah, Wisconsin, Colorado, California, Ohio, Arkansas, Illinois, Virginia, and Nevada — do impose restrictions on the volume and manner of rainwater collection to protect local ecosystems and uphold historic water rights.
Interestingly, it is predominantly the Western states that have restrictions. This can be traced back to the old "first-come, first-serve" water laws or 'prior appropriation', where all precipitation was considered to belong to existing water-rights owners.
Importantly, while these states have restrictions, none of them outright ban the collection of rainwater, reflecting a nationwide acknowledgment of the role rainwater harvesting can play in sustainable living.

By Region

Alabama

See Less

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Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

California

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Kentucky

Metric

Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Minnesota

Metric

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Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Mississippi

Metric

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Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Montana

Metric

Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Nebraska

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Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Nevada

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Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

New Hampshire

Metric

Value

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Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Utah

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Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Vermont

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Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

No Restrictions

Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Restrictions

Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Rainwater Collection Laws

Offer Incentives

Additional Legality Datasets

States where it is Illegal to Collect Rainwater

State Laws on Rainwater Collection

By Region

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

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