Reading, PA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum capacity
- 75 gallons per barrel
- Maximum height
- 6 feet including platform
- Allowed use
- Lawns, gardens, irrigation, washing
- Prohibited use
- Drinking, cooking or bathing
- Historic districts
- Certificate of appropriateness required
Summary
Reading permits rain barrels for property owners and consenting tenants, capped at 75 gallons and six feet tall, but the collected water may only go to lawns, gardens, irrigation and washing -- never for drinking, cooking or bathing.
Rain barrels shall only be used to collect rainwater for nonpotable use on lawns and gardens, for irrigation, for washing vehicles and for other outdoor uses. Under no circumstances shall water from a rain barrel be used for any potable purpose including, without limitation, drinking, cooking or bathing.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-8: Current through August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 438 lets fee-simple owners, or tenants with the owner's written permission, install rooftop rain barrels to harvest nonpotable water for outdoor uses such as lawns, gardens, irrigation and washing vehicles; potable use of that water is flatly barred. Barrels are capped at 75 gallons and six feet in height including any platform, must sit at least one foot from the collecting structure, and need a mosquito screen, an overflow diverter and child-safe lid latches. Units in historic districts need a certificate of appropriateness from the Historical Architectural Review Board.
Violations & Fines
The Property Maintenance Division enforces on complaint: a first violation draws a warning, a second within 12 months a $25 notice plus mandatory education, a third $50, and a fourth or later $100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drink water collected in a Reading rain barrel?
How big can a rain barrel be in Reading, PA?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Reading
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