Temecula, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750) and Water Code §10573 expressly authorize residential, commercial, and governmental rainwater capture from rooftops without a State Water Board appropriation. In Temecula, small-scale rain barrels and totes up to 100 gallons typically require no permit when used for outdoor non-potable purposes (irrigation, ornamental ponds). Installations must include a sealed lid or fine mesh to prevent mosquito breeding under the Riverside County Vector Control District's standards and Health & Safety Code §2270 et seq. Larger systems, above-ground tanks 100+ gallons or any underground cistern, require a building permit, and connection to any indoor or pressurized irrigation system requires a plumbing permit and approval under the 2022 California Plumbing Code Chapter 17.

Any system that connects to potable plumbing requires a reduced-pressure backflow preventer. Indoor non-potable uses (toilet flushing, laundry) are allowed under CPC Chapter 17 with proper labeling, dual piping, and signage. Potable use requires NSF-certified treatment and Department of Drinking Water approval, rare for residential. Metropolitan Water District and RCWD periodically offer rebates for qualifying barrels and cisterns. Setbacks from property lines for tanks generally follow accessory-structure rules in TMC Title 17.