Rainwater harvesting is legal across Whatcom County. Washington's Department of Ecology allows rooftop collection without a water right, so rain barrels and cisterns for the garden are permitted, and in this rainy county there is plenty to capture.
Washington encourages capturing rooftop rainwater. A 2009 Department of Ecology policy interpretation confirmed that collecting rain from a building's roof does not require a water right, which matters in a prior-appropriation state where most withdrawals do. Whatcom County residents may install rain barrels, cisterns, and gutter-fed systems for lawn and garden use without special permission, and with 35-plus inches of annual rain a barrel fills fast. Larger cisterns or any system plumbed into a home's potable supply must meet state building and plumbing code. In the Lake Whatcom watershed, capturing roof runoff also helps cut phosphorus-laden stormwater.
None for standard residential rooftop collection. A large cistern or a system tied into indoor potable plumbing installed without the required building or plumbing permit is a standard code violation subject to correction and fees.
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See how Whatcom County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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