Wayne County, MI Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

Rainwater harvesting is fully legal in Wayne County, Michigan, and actively encouraged as a stormwater management tool. Michigan has no statewide prohibition on rainwater collection, and the state's riparian water law tradition recognizes property owners' rights to capture precipitation falling on their land. Public Act 98 of 1929 and subsequent rulings establish that captured rainwater for on-site use does not require a water withdrawal permit. Detroit's Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) administers a Drainage Charge Credit program that offers reductions on the monthly drainage fee (tied to impervious surface area) for customers who install approved green stormwater infrastructure including rain barrels, cisterns, rain gardens, permeable pavement, and bioswales. Credits can reach up to 80 percent of the drainage charge for qualifying installations. Similar programs operate in Dearborn and other GLWA communities. Rainwater captured from rooftops can be used for outdoor irrigation, gardens, and non-potable uses; use for drinking water requires additional treatment and plumbing code review.