Riverside, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (Assembly Bill 1750; Water Code §10573 et seq.) authorizes residential, commercial, and governmental landowners to install, maintain, and operate rainwater capture systems for non-potable uses without a water-right permit, so long as the water is collected from rooftops. The City of Riverside has no separate restrictive rainwater-harvesting ordinance; RPU actively promotes capture as a conservation measure on its Water Efficiency page ('Collecting and reusing rainwater for lawns and gardens reduces runoff into storm drains and local waterways'). Rebates are administered through RPU's partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) via the SoCal Water$mart program (socalwatersmart.com). Published residential rebate amounts: rain barrels at $35 per barrel (up to 2 barrels) per RPU's portal, with the broader regional SoCal WaterSmart program offering up to $75 per rain barrel and $250-$350 for cisterns depending on capacity. Building-code thresholds: rain barrels under 100 gallons typically do not require a plumbing permit, but tanks over 100 gal or any system connected to indoor plumbing must comply with CPC Chapter 17 (non-potable rainwater catchment) and require a permit from the City Building Division. Stormwater connection / discharge to public storm drains is permitted because collected rainwater reduces total stormwater volume — supporting Riverside County's MS4 NPDES permit goals.