Chino Hills, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Chino Hills does not publish a city ordinance restricting residents from collecting rainwater; to the contrary, the City's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (CHMC Chapter 16.07) lists onsite storm water capture among its water-efficiency goals, alongside greywater use and more efficient irrigation. The governing detail therefore comes from California law. Under the California Rainwater Capture Act and Water Code Section 10574, capturing and storing rainwater from rooftops for outdoor, non-potable use does not require a water-right permit, and home outdoor use of a rain barrel or cistern collecting rooftop runoff generally requires no building or plumbing permit when the container is under 360 gallons. Larger systems, indoor or potable use, or business/agricultural use can trigger permits, inspection, or professional installation through the City or County. State law (SB-558) also provides a property-tax exemption for new residential rainwater systems. Locally, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) has run rain-barrel rebate and direct-install programs serving Chino Hills residents through regional water-use-efficiency efforts (apply via SoCalWaterSmart.com). Residents planning large cisterns, downspout re-plumbing, or anything tied to a structure should confirm with Building & Safety.