Nevada Authorizes De Minimis Residential Rainwater Harvesting

Before 2017, Nevada water law treated all precipitation as belonging to the public water system, making rooftop harvesting technically prohibited. Assembly Bill 138, codified at NRS 533.027, exempts de minimis rooftop collection from a single-family dwelling for nonpotable domestic use, which expressly includes watering a family garden. The statute also exempts certain wildlife guzzlers up to 20,000 gallons. This statewide authorization preempts municipalities from banning small residential rain barrels, though cities may still regulate cistern setbacks, mosquito abatement, and structural permits for large tanks.

No state penalties exist for compliant residential rainwater capture. Unpermitted oversized cisterns or systems plumbed to potable fixtures may face local building code citations and corrective orders.