Neither Rutherford County nor the City of Murfreesboro restricts residential rainwater harvesting, and Tennessee places no ban on collecting rooftop rainwater. Rain barrels and cisterns for outdoor irrigation are legal; large or plumbed systems follow the state plumbing code.
There is no Rutherford County or Murfreesboro ordinance restricting residents from capturing rainwater. Tennessee is a permissive, riparian state and does not prohibit rooftop rainwater collection for outdoor use, so rain barrels and cisterns are legal for lawn and garden irrigation. Larger, potable, or indoor systems must meet the state-adopted plumbing code for cross-connection control and backflow prevention, and any large structure may need a building permit. Because the county and city ask residents to conserve during drought, rainwater capture is effectively encouraged as a conservation measure. Homeowners in an HOA should still check covenants, which are private and separate from any government rule.
Rainwater harvesting is not a violation and carries no county or city penalty. Improperly cross-connecting a rainwater system to potable plumbing, or building an unpermitted large cistern, could draw a plumbing- or building-code correction.
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