Knox County has no ordinance prohibiting or specially regulating residential rain barrels or rainwater collection. Tennessee does not restrict rainwater harvesting, so homeowners may collect roof runoff for outdoor use.
Collecting rainwater in barrels or cisterns for landscape use is not regulated by a Knox County ordinance, and Tennessee places no statewide restriction on rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels are commonly encouraged as a stormwater best-management practice. If rainwater will be plumbed into a home for indoor or potable use, plumbing-code and Health Department requirements apply; simple outdoor barrels for gardens do not need county approval. The county stormwater program actually promotes runoff reduction, of which rain capture is one method.
No county penalty for using rain barrels. Cross-connecting harvested water to indoor potable plumbing without code-compliant backflow protection can be a plumbing violation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville has no general City Code ordinance restricting lawn ornaments, garden statues, religious displays, or yard decorations on private residential prope...
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville has no City Code ordinance specifically regulating inflatable holiday displays on private residential property. Inflatables must stay within the pr...
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville has no dedicated City Code ordinance regulating the timing, brightness, or quantity of residential holiday light displays. General electrical safet...
Knoxville, TN
Permanent outdoor kitchens in Knoxville require Plans Review & Inspections permits when they include gas lines, plumbing, electrical work, or structures. Nat...
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville treats wood smokers, pellet grills, and other solid-fuel cooking equipment under the 2024 International Fire Code as adopted in City Code Chapter 1...
Knoxville, TN
Knoxville has adopted the 2024 International Fire Code under City Code Chapter 11, Article II (Sections 11-21 to 11-22), effective January 2025. IFC Section ...
See how Knoxville's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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