Tallahassee has no local ordinance restricting rain barrel or rainwater harvesting system installation. Florida Statute §373.62 and the Florida-Friendly Landscaping law expressly protect the right to harvest rainwater, and local governments and HOAs may not prohibit compliant systems.
Florida Statute §373.62 authorizes and encourages rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation, toilet flushing, and other outdoor purposes. A companion provision of Florida's Florida-Friendly Landscaping law (Fla. Stat. §163.04) prohibits local governments and HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting systems on residential property. Tallahassee's Code of Ordinances (Ch. 9 – Environment) and Land Development Code (Ch. 5 – Environmental Management) contain no local restrictions on rain barrels. Systems must not create standing water that breeds mosquitoes and should include a screened inlet and overflow device. Large cisterns connected to potable water supply may require a plumbing permit from the City's Growth Management Department.
No city-level penalties for installing compliant rain barrels. Mosquito-breeding standing water may trigger a nuisance violation under Ch. 9, Sec. 9-64 of the Code of Ordinances.
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See how Tallahassee's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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