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Collier County, FL Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Exempt equipment
Rain barrels, cisterns, similar rain-harvesting devices
Also exempt
Low-volume, micro-irrigation, hand watering
Schedule bypassed
No day-of-week or time-of-day limit
Still applies
Ban on wasteful and unnecessary water use
Can be overridden by
A declared SFWMD water-shortage emergency
Max penalty if lost
$500 civil infraction

Summary

Collier County exempts rain barrels, cisterns and similar rain-harvesting devices from its landscape irrigation day-of-week and time-of-day restrictions entirely under Sec. 54-368(4). Along with low-volume and micro-irrigation and hand watering, a rain barrel can be used on any day of the week, at any hour, without violating the county's adopted South Florida Water Management District schedule.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Collier County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(4)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 allowed pursuant to this section.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 126 | Land Development Code: Supplement 33).

Full Breakdown

Sec. and limiting most properties to two or three assigned watering days tied to whether their address is odd or even. Paragraph (4) then carves out an explicit exception for water-conserving delivery methods: 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 allowed pursuant to the section. ban either, because the exemption applies without regard to the watering days or times. The exemption covers only the timing restriction, not other duties in the article: a user relying on rain-harvesting equipment must still avoid 'wasteful and unnecessary' water use as defined in Sec.

54-367(p), and the County may still impose additional restrictions during a declared water shortage or water-shortage emergency under Sec. 54-369, which can override the ordinary schedule for all users, rain barrels included, if the South Florida Water Management District's Governing Board so orders.

Violations & Fines

Losing the rain-harvesting exemption, for example by running a sprinkler zone alongside a rain barrel outside the permitted schedule, exposes the violation to the same enforcement as any other irrigation infraction: a civil infraction under F.S. § 162.21 with a maximum civil penalty of $500 under Sec. 54-373, on top of whatever remedy F.S. § 125.69 and Sec. 1-6 of the county code otherwise allow. Enforcement officials and County-designated departments may issue citations under Sec. 54-372.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a rain barrel any day of the week in Collier County?
Yes. Sec. 54-368(4) exempts rain barrels, cisterns and similar rain-harvesting devices, along with low-volume, micro-irrigation and hand watering, from the county's landscape irrigation day-of-week and time-of-day restrictions entirely, so they can be used any day, any hour.
Do I still have to follow the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. watering ban with a rain barrel?
No. Because Sec. 54-368(4)'s exemption applies without regard to the watering days or times allowed, rain-harvesting devices bypass both the odd/even day schedule and the daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. irrigation ban that governs sprinkler systems.
Can the county still restrict rain barrel use during a drought?
Yes. Sec. 54-369 lets the County enforce any water-shortage or water-shortage-emergency order issued by the South Florida Water Management District's Governing Board, which can impose tighter restrictions on all users, including rain-harvesting equipment, once such an emergency is declared.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Collier County

All Collier County rules

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