Hackensack does not prohibit residential rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels and small cisterns are encouraged for landscape irrigation under New Jersey water conservation policy and stormwater management goals.
Rainwater harvesting for outdoor irrigation is legal across New Jersey, and Hackensack does not have a specific local prohibition. Residents may install rain barrels at downspouts to collect runoff for non-potable uses such as watering gardens. Larger cisterns or systems integrated into a building's plumbing may require building or plumbing permits and must comply with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, including backflow prevention to protect the municipal supply. Harvested water is not approved for drinking, cooking, or bathing without proper treatment. Bergen County and NJ DEP promote rain barrels as a stormwater best management practice that reduces runoff into the Hackensack River.
Improperly plumbed systems that cross-connect with potable water can be cited under the Uniform Construction Code with stop-work and abatement orders.
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See how Hackensack's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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