Collecting rooftop rainwater is legal in Spokane County without a water-right permit. Under Washington Department of Ecology's 2009 policy, on-site storage and beneficial use of rooftop-collected rainwater is exempt from the RCW 90.03 permit process, as long as the water is used on the collection property.
Washington encourages rainwater harvesting. Ecology's Rainwater Collection Interpretive Policy (2009) confirms that on-site storage and beneficial use of rooftop or guzzler-collected rainwater does not require a water-right permit under RCW 90.03, provided the rainwater is used on the property where it is collected and is captured from a structure that has another primary purpose (like a roof). Spokane County imposes no separate ban on rain barrels or cisterns for outdoor/landscape use. Using harvested rainwater for indoor potable (drinking) use is different, requiring approval from the local building department. Very large systems may still need plumbing/building review.
No penalties for ordinary rooftop rain-barrel use. Indoor potable systems without building-department approval, or large systems affecting water rights, could face code enforcement.
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See how Spokane County's rainwater harvesting rules stack up against other locations.
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