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.