Ventura County, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. 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. At the same time, recurring droughts and water shortages in California have made local water supply augmentation and water conservation efforts a priority.

(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, contributing to the statutory objective of a 20-percent reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December 31, 2020. Solely for the purposes of this part, and unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this part:

(b) "Rain barrel system" is a type of rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a water pump and is not connected to or reliant on a potable water system.

(c) "Rainwater" means precipitation on any public or private parcel that has not entered an offsite storm drain system or channel, a flood control channel, or any other stream channel, and has not previously been put to beneficial use.

(d) "Rainwater capture system" means a facility designed to capture, retain, and store rainwater flowing off a building rooftop for subsequent onsite use. Use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit pursuant to Section 1201.