Fontana, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- State authority
- AB 1750 Rainwater Capture Act allows rooftop collection
- Small rain barrels
- No permit for standard 50-100 gallon residential barrels
- Indoor plumbing
- Plumbing permit required for connection to toilets or laundry
- Large cisterns
- Building permit triggered above 5,000 gallons
- Mosquito control
- Screened inlet required to prevent vector breeding
Summary
Fontana allows residential rain barrels under Californias AB 1750 without a permit, but indoor plumbing connections and systems over 5,000 gallons need plumbing and building permits.
PART 2.4. Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 10570. This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. 10571. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) As California has grown and developed, the amount of stormwater flowing off buildings, parking lots, roads, and other impervious surfaces into surface water streams, flood channels, and storm sewers has increased, thereby reducing the volume of water allowed to infiltrate into groundwater aquifers and increasing water and pollution flowing to the ocean and other surface waters. At the same time, recurring droughts and water shortages in California have made local water supply augmentation and water conservation efforts a priority.
(c) Rainwater and stormwater, captured and properly managed, can contribute significantly to local water supplies by infiltrating and recharging groundwater aquifers, thereby increasing available supplies of drinking water. In addition, the onsite capture, storage, and use of rainwater for nonpotable uses significantly reduces demand for potable water, contributing to the statutory objective of a 20-percent reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December 31, 2020. 10573. Solely for the purposes of this part, and unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this part:
(b) “Rain barrel system” is a type of rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a water pump and is not connected to or reliant on a potable water system.
(c) “Rainwater” means precipitation on any public or private parcel that has not entered an offsite storm drain system or channel, a flood control channel, or any other stream channel, and has not previously been put to beneficial use.
(d) “Rainwater capture system” means a facility designed to capture, retain, and store rainwater flowing off a building rooftop for subsequent onsite use. 10574. Use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit pursuant to Section 1201.
Full Breakdown
Rainwater harvesting in Fontana operates under a mix of state law and local permitting rules. The California Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750) allows any landowner to collect rainwater from their rooftop for non-potable on-site use (irrigation, toilet flushing with approved treatment, outdoor washing) without having to apply for a state water right, provided the water is captured from impervious surfaces on the parcel itself. For standard residential rain barrels - typically 50 to 100 gallon above-ground barrels fed by a downspout - Fontana does not require a permit; homeowners simply install a screened inlet to prevent mosquito breeding and an overflow directed away from foundations.
Larger systems and any system connected to the interior plumbing of a home for toilet flushing, laundry pre-rinse, or pressurized irrigation must comply with the California Plumbing Code Chapter 17 (Non-Potable Rainwater Catchment Systems), which requires a plumbing permit from Fontana Building and Safety, backflow prevention on any connection to potable supply, and clear purple-pipe labeling of non-potable lines. Storage tanks above 5,000 gallons or that require structural supports typically trigger a building permit as well. Cisterns, pumps, and any electrical pumping equipment must meet the California Electrical Code.
HOA rules may restrict visible tanks; state law Civil Code 4735 limits HOA bans on water-efficient landscaping but does not fully preempt HOA tank restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put a rain barrel at the corner of my Fontana house?
Do I need a permit to plumb rainwater into my toilet?
Can my HOA block my rain barrel?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fontana
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