Avondale, AZ Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Avondale's municipal code contains no provision banning or licensing residential rainwater harvesting, and the state of Arizona does not regulate the private collection of rainwater that falls on a property. As a result, Avondale homeowners may legally capture roof runoff in barrels or cisterns and use it for landscape irrigation. The activity is consistent with the city's water-conservation goals; Avondale promotes outdoor conservation and offers xeriscape rebates. Practical limits come from general code rather than a rainwater-specific rule: any collection or overflow system should not cause the waste-of-water or runoff conditions described in City Code section 24-34, should not create a blighted or hazardous condition under the Property Maintenance Ordinance (Chapter 14), and a large above-ground tank may be treated as an accessory structure subject to zoning placement standards. Homeowners installing larger or plumbed systems should confirm building-code and backflow requirements with the city before installation. Because no city ordinance text addresses rainwater harvesting directly, this answer reflects the absence of a local rule rather than a specific permission.