Southborough, MA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Rainwater capture appears in three places in the Town's bylaws. In the Lower Impact Development bylaw, § 174-13.3(E)(2)(j)[7] lists the use of rain barrels and other cisterns to provide additional stormwater storage among the techniques integrated into site design, alongside rain gardens, bioretention areas, roof gardens, amended soils and permeable pavement. In the landscaping standard, § 174-13(B)(9) requires a permanent water supply system or other acceptable watering method for all planting areas, and says the Town recommends sustainable watering systems such as rainwater recycling systems, automatic shut-off devices, drought-tolerant native plant material, and careful irrigation scheduling.

The LID rules apply to a defined set of projects. Under § 174-13.3(C), a LID special permit from the Planning Board is required for any activity subject to major plan review under § 174-10, any activity that will result in soil disturbance of one acre or more, and any residential development or redevelopment of five or more acres proposed under the Subdivision Control Law or a special permit. Subsection D exempts any activity that will disturb an area less than one acre.

An applicant submits a LID special permit application, a LID management plan and an operation and maintenance plan. Under G(1), the management plan must be prepared, stamped and signed by a professional engineer registered in Massachusetts, a registered land surveyor, or a Massachusetts licensed soil evaluator, as appropriate. The Planning Board can waive application requirements that are unnecessary because of the size or character of the project, but requests for waivers must be in writing and the Board's decision must set forth its reasons. Under J(2), the Board can require a cash performance guarantee for the operation and maintenance of permanent LID measures.

Two other rules limit how captured water is used. Section 228-7(B), in the Board of Health's Water Supply chapter, states that cisterns shall be prohibited for private and semipublic water supplies, which that chapter defines as systems serving water for human consumption or domestic uses. Section 223-139 bars any rainwater leader from discharging into or being connected with any sewage disposal system.