Nebraska places no restriction on residential rainwater harvesting. Homeowners in Lincoln and Lancaster County may legally collect roof runoff in rain barrels or cisterns for outdoor use without a permit.
Nebraska has not enacted any statute limiting how much rainwater a property owner may capture and store, and neither Lincoln nor Lancaster County requires a permit to place a residential rain barrel. Capturing roof runoff for garden and lawn use is encouraged as a conservation measure, especially given Lincoln Water System's voluntary summer conservation program. Any large cistern tied into household plumbing would still need to meet plumbing and cross-connection code, and stored water should be screened to avoid creating a mosquito or standing-water nuisance under local property-maintenance rules.
No penalty applies to ordinary rain barrels. Standing water that breeds mosquitoes could be cited as a nuisance under Lincoln's health and property-maintenance code.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Lincoln parks are generally open 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It is unlawful to be in a park when it is closed. Wilderness Park closes at sunset; a few downtown p...
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Lincoln's design standards cap light spilling across property lines. Lighting other than street lighting must be shielded and aimed so no more than 2.0 foot-...
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Lincoln's adopted outdoor-lighting design standards limit sky glow. Any light source over 4,050 lumens must be a cutoff or full-cutoff fixture, mounted level...
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A garage-sale sign is a temporary sign in Lincoln, allowed in all zoning districts without a permit. In residential districts a temporary sign may not exceed...
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Lincoln permits temporary political signs in every zoning district without a permit. Under Section 27.69.100, non-illuminated temporary signs are allowed in ...
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Lincoln has no tiny-home-specific ordinance. A tiny house used as a second unit is an accessory dwelling, capped at 800 square feet and one bedroom with owne...
See how Lancaster County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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