Rainwater harvesting is legal in Reedley under California AB 1750. No city permit is needed for rain barrels. Large cisterns may require building permits as accessory structures.
California Assembly Bill 1750 (2012) established that the use of rainwater collected from rooftops is not subject to water rights restrictions, affirming the right of property owners statewide to install rain barrels and cisterns. In Reedley, no special city permit is needed for standard residential rainwater collection systems such as rain barrels. The California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) encourages the use of rainwater and stormwater for landscape irrigation, and rain gardens, cisterns, and other features that increase rainwater capture and infiltration are recommended in new landscape designs. Given Reedley's location in the drought-prone San Joaquin Valley, rainwater harvesting is particularly valuable for supplementing landscape irrigation during water restriction periods. Large cisterns or above-ground tanks exceeding certain volume thresholds may require building permits as accessory structures. Underground storage systems may need grading permits. Water collected for irrigation purposes does not require treatment, but water intended for indoor use would need to meet health department standards.
There are no penalties for rainwater harvesting in Reedley. California law protects the right to collect rooftop rainwater. However, large storage structures that are built without required building permits may face standard building code enforcement. Improperly stored water that creates mosquito breeding habitat could trigger public health enforcement by the Fresno County Department of Public Health.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Fresno County.
See how other cities in Fresno County handle rainwater harvesting.
See how Reedley's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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