Rainwater harvesting is legal in Clark County and statewide. Washington's Department of Ecology exempts on-site rooftop rainwater collection from water-right permitting, provided the water is used on the property it is collected from and comes from a roof whose primary purpose is something other than catching rain. Indoor potable use
Since 2009, Ecology policy has held that storage and beneficial use of rooftop or guzzler-collected rainwater is not subject to the water-right permit process of chapter 90.03 RCW. To qualify, the roof must be a fixed structure with a primary purpose other than rainwater collection, and the water must be used on the collection property. Clark County allows rain barrels and cisterns for landscape irrigation; systems plumbed for in-home use require county building-department approval.
No penalty applies to compliant rooftop systems. Ecology may impose local restrictions if collection is shown to impair existing water rights in an area.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Most Clark County parks are open from 7 a.m. to dusk, with hours varying slightly at a few parks (Luke Jensen Sports Park allows lighted use after dusk). Ove...
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Clark County requires outdoor lights (except holiday lights) to be directed or shielded so glare is minimized as seen from streets and nearby dwellings. Illu...
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Clark County requires outdoor lights, except seasonal holiday lights, to be directed or shielded to minimize glare visible from streets, nearby dwellings, an...
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Portable and temporary signs, flags and banners are prohibited in unincorporated Clark County unless a temporary sign permit is approved by the responsible o...
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Clark County's sign code treats political and other noncommercial messages as on-premises signs. Any sign displaying a noncommercial (including political) me...
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Washington defines a tiny house as a dwelling that may be built on wheels and is no larger than 400 sq ft, excluding lofts. To be a legal permanent residence...
See how Clark County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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