Porterville, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Sec. 25-32A.18, part of the water efficient landscape ordinance adopted by Ord. 1830 on November 17, 2015, frames stormwater capture as encouraged rather than required: implementing stormwater best management practices in landscape and grading design plans to minimize runoff and increase on-site retention and infiltration is described as encouraged, and applicants are referred to the city and the regional water quality control board for any applicable technical requirements. It is strongly recommended that capture and infiltration capacity be sized to handle either a 1-inch, 24-hour rain event or the 85th percentile 24-hour rain event, plus any additional capacity a local, regional, state or federal regulation requires.

The section lists recommended elements, including grading impervious surfaces to drain to vegetated areas, minimizing paved area, using pervious pavers, directing roof and paved runoff into planting beds, and incorporating rain gardens, cisterns and other rain harvesting or catchment systems, along with infiltration beds, swales, basins and drywells. Two pieces are mandatory rather than merely recommended: Sec. 25-32A.18C requires all planted landscape areas to have friable soil to maximize retention and infiltration, and Sec. 25-32A.8's landscape design plan requirements direct applicants to identify any rain harvesting or catchment technology they do install, along with its 24-hour retention or infiltration capacity.