Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Alameda County under CA Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750). Rain barrels under 5,000 gallons for landscape irrigation generally need no permit.
Rainwater harvesting is broadly legal and encouraged in Alameda County under the California Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750), which allows residential, commercial, and governmental landowners to install, maintain, and operate rainwater capture systems without a water-rights permit. Small rain barrels and above-ground tanks under 5,000 gallons used solely for landscape irrigation generally require no building permit. Larger cisterns, underground tanks, or pressurized systems connected to plumbing require building or plumbing permits and backflow prevention per the California Plumbing Code. EBMUD and ACWD both offer rebates for rain barrels and cisterns as part of conservation programs. Harvested rainwater may be used for landscape irrigation, toilet flushing with appropriate treatment and permitting, and other non-potable uses. Greywater and rainwater must be kept separate; cross-connection controls are required if connected to the domestic plumbing.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Alameda County, CA
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Alameda County, CA
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See how Alameda County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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