Louisiana does not ban rainwater harvesting, so New Orleans residents may collect rain in barrels and cisterns. For larger projects, the CZO actually requires on-site stormwater retention — capturing runoff is encouraged as green infrastructure.
No Louisiana or New Orleans law prohibits residential rainwater collection; rain barrels and cisterns are legal. Beyond voluntary collection, CZO Article 23 (Landscape, Stormwater Management & Screening) requires larger new development and redevelopment to capture, filter, infiltrate, or store stormwater on site — the plan must retain or detain and filter the first 1.25 inches of runoff during each rain event and limit post-development runoff. Single- and two-family homes and small residential projects are generally exempt from the formal stormwater-plan mandate, but rain gardens, cisterns, and permeable surfaces are encouraged citywide to reduce flooding and subsidence.
No penalty for residential rain collection. Development subject to Article 23 that fails to provide the required stormwater retention can be denied permits or fail CZO plan review.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
orleans-parish-la
It is unlawful to be in a public park or playground supervised by the parkway and park commission between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. New Orleans also enforces ...
orleans-parish-la
The CZO caps spillover light at your property line: no more than 0.5 foot-candle at a residential property line and 1.0 foot-candle at a non-residential or p...
orleans-parish-la
The CZO requires exterior lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward. Light poles and building-mounted fixtures must use fully shielded luminaires, ...
orleans-parish-la
Temporary garage/yard sale signs are allowed without a permit but may not exceed 9 square feet each. They may go up no more than 24 hours before the sale and...
orleans-parish-la
Political and non-commercial message signs are allowed in every zoning district without a permit. They are capped at 6 square feet in residential districts a...
orleans-parish-la
New Orleans has no special tiny-home category. A permanent tiny house on a foundation is regulated as a dwelling or accessory dwelling unit under the CZO and...
See how Orleans Parish's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.