Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Erie County. There is no county ban on rain barrels. Erie County, with the WNY Stormwater Coalition and Soil & Water Conservation District, actively sells subsidized rain barrels to cut stormwater runoff and conserve water.
New York does not prohibit residential rainwater collection, and Erie County has no ordinance restricting rain barrels or cisterns. Instead, the county promotes them: Erie County, with the Western New York Stormwater Coalition, offers rain barrels and compost bins for sale to reduce stormwater runoff and reuse rainwater for lawns and gardens. Households in certain MS4 municipalities (Cheektowaga, Grand Island, City of Tonawanda, Kenmore, Sloan) have been eligible for 75% off rain barrels. The Erie County Soil & Water Conservation District supports these efforts. Any connection to a home's potable system still falls under ECWA cross-connection rules, but standard downspout-fed rain barrels for outdoor use are unrestricted. Check your town for any HOA or placement rules.
No county penalties for collecting rainwater. Restrictions would only arise from ECWA cross-connection rules if a barrel were improperly plumbed into the potable supply, or from private HOA rules; both are outside county authority over simple outdoor rain barrels.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Erie County.
See how Clarence's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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