Arlington, TX Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Texas is one of the most rainwater-harvesting-friendly states in the country. Under Texas Water Code Chapter 11, a property owner has the right to capture and use rainwater that falls on their own property without a water rights permit for on-site use. Texas Property Code Section 202.007 prohibits homeowners associations from enforcing restrictions that completely ban rain barrels or rainwater harvesting systems; HOAs may only impose reasonable rules about location (not facing the street from the front of the home, for example), color, and screening. Arlington does not require a permit to install a typical rain barrel or above-ground cistern at a single-family home for landscape irrigation. Larger pressurized systems, systems connected to the household plumbing, and systems used for potable water must comply with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rules and Arlington plumbing code, including backflow prevention where a cistern can be topped off with municipal water. Arlington Water Utilities has historically offered rebates on rain barrels and educational workshops through the regional Water Is Awesome and Save Arlington Water programs. Harvested rainwater is ideal for landscape irrigation because it is naturally soft and contains no chlorine, benefiting Texas native plants.