Calaveras County, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Collecting rainwater for outdoor, non-potable use is permitted in unincorporated Calaveras County, and there is no county ordinance prohibiting or specially permitting residential rain barrels. State law is favorable and preempts local permit barriers: the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (Water Code Part 2.4, enacted by AB 1750) provides that a landowner is not required to obtain any permit or other authorization from a local public agency to install, maintain, or operate a rain barrel system for residential use. A 'rain barrel system' under the Act is a rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a pump and is not connected to a potable water system, used only for outdoor non-potable uses per manufacturer instructions. The Act also provides that capturing rooftop rainwater does not require a water-right permit from the State Water Board. For larger cisterns, notice to the water system operator is not required when the cistern is less than 360 gallons. The only common local trigger is if disconnecting a downspout from a sewer connection is involved, in which case a local agency may require a permit to properly cap that sewer connection. Otherwise, residents may add barrels and cisterns freely, and rainwater harvesting supports compliance with drought-stage outdoor watering limits.