Lee County does not restrict residential rainwater harvesting. Under water Ordinance No. 24-01, rain barrels, cisterns, and other rain-harvesting devices may be used to water plants any day of the week, exempt from the landscape irrigation day and time limits.
The Lee County water conservation ordinance (No. 24-01, County Code Ch. 11) expressly exempts rain-harvesting from its watering schedule. Any plant material may be watered using low-volume irrigation, micro-irrigation, low-volume hand watering methods, and rain barrels, cisterns, or other similar rain-harvesting devices without regard to the watering days or times otherwise required. No Lee County ordinance prohibits collecting rooftop rainwater for outdoor use, and the SFWMD Year-Round rule likewise exempts rain barrels. Larger cisterns or pumped systems may need plumbing/building permits, and captured rainwater used through a conventional in-ground sprinkler zone would still follow the normal watering-day limits.
Residential rainwater harvesting is not a violation and is encouraged for conservation. Watering with a rain barrel or cistern is exempt from the day and time restrictions, so no irrigation-schedule fine applies to hand watering or targeted rain-harvest watering.
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