San Bernardino, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- State authority
- Rainwater Capture Act AB 1750 authorizes rooftop capture
- Permit-exempt
- Gravity rain barrels under 5,000 gal typically no permit
- Plumbing code
- CPC Chapter 17 governs larger or pressurized systems
- Cross-connection
- Backflow prevention required if tied to potable plumbing
- Vector control
- Tanks must be screened to prevent mosquito breeding
Summary
Rainwater harvesting for irrigation is legal in San Bernardino under the CA Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. Simple rooftop barrels up to 5,000 gallons need no permit; pressurized systems need plumbing permits.
10570. This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. 10571. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) As California has grown and developed, the amount of stormwater flowing off buildings, parking lots, roads, and other impervious surfaces into surface water streams, flood channels, and storm sewers has increased, thereby reducing the volume of water allowed to infiltrate into groundwater aquifers and increasing water and pollution flowing to the ocean and other surface waters. [...] (c) Rainwater and stormwater, captured and properly managed, can contribute significantly to local water supplies by infiltrating and recharging groundwater aquifers, thereby increasing available supplies of drinking water. In addition, the onsite capture, storage, and use of rainwater for nonpotable uses significantly reduces demand for potable water [...]. 10573. [...] (d) ''Rainwater capture system'' means a facility designed to capture, retain, and store rainwater flowing off a building rooftop for subsequent onsite use. [...] 10574. Use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit pursuant to Section 1201.
Full Breakdown
California Assembly Bill 1750, the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012, explicitly authorized property owners to capture and use rainwater from rooftops for non-potable purposes such as landscape irrigation without a water rights permit from the State Water Resources Control Board. In San Bernardino, rooftop rainwater harvesting systems that use gravity fed rain barrels or cisterns connected to existing downspouts, discharge onto the same parcel, and do not connect to the potable water system generally require no building or plumbing permit. California Plumbing Code Chapter 17, as adopted by the city, sets standards for larger rainwater catchment systems.
Pressurized systems, systems with pumps, or systems connected to the interior plumbing for toilet flushing or clothes washing must be permitted and inspected by the city Building Division, with backflow prevention and clear labeling required to prevent cross-connection with potable water. Tanks must be covered and screened to prevent mosquito breeding under county vector control rules, and above-ground tanks larger than 5,000 gallons may need structural and setback review. Homeowner incentive rebates through regional water agencies and the Metropolitan Water District can offset costs for qualifying systems, typically paying per gallon of storage capacity. Captured rainwater is generally suitable for drip irrigation of ornamentals and fruit trees; it is not approved as potable drinking water without advanced treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a rain barrel in San Bernardino?
Can I use rainwater for toilets or laundry?
Is there a rebate for installing rainwater systems?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
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Rainwater Harvesting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle rainwater harvesting.