Omaha, NE Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Under city code § 49-2230, rainwater harvesting systems must follow the storm-drainage article plus a dedicated division of Chapter 49. Harvested water may only be used for irrigation or for flushing toilets and urinals (§ 49-2230), and overflow roof drains can't tie into the harvesting system: they must discharge to the storm sewer or daylight. All collected rainwater must pass through a 50-micron sediment filter before entering the piping (§ 49-2231), the piping must be independent of the potable water system with hose bibs prohibited, and a master backflow assembly is required on the water service after the meter (§ 49-2233). The storage reservoir itself must be a durable, corrosion-resistant, gas-tight vessel with overflow protection tied to the storm sewer through a backwater valve (§ 49-2234). A permit fee of $50.00 applies to each rainwater harvesting system installed (§ 49-345 fee schedule).