Part 1: Utah Law & Regulations: What You MUST Know

It is now 100% legal to harvest rainwater in Utah for residential use, but there are strict limitations. Understanding these rules is the first step to staying compliant and safe.

The Two Methods of Legal Collection

According to current Utah Division of Water Rights guidelines, you may collect and store rainwater using one of two methods:

Where to Register (Method 2 Only)

If you plan to collect more than 100 gallons, you must complete the “Rainwater Harvesting Registration” form found on the official Utah Division of Water Rights (DWR) website. This simple registration ensures that the state has an accurate record of rainwater usage and that large-scale systems are installed correctly.

Key Legal Prohibitions

1. NO Potable Use: Collected rainwater is classified as “graywater” or “non-potable water.” You cannot drink it, cook with it, or use it for bathing.

2. NO Cross-Connections: The rainwater collection system must not be connected in any way to your home’s main culinary (drinking water) plumbing lines. This prevents contamination.

3. NO Distribution Beyond Property: You may only collect and use the rainwater that falls on your specific residential property. You cannot sell or distribute the water to neighbors.

Part 2: Safety First: A “Non-Potable” Warning

Your roof is not a clean surface. While rain itself may seem pure, when it hits your roof, it picks up bird droppings, insects, debris, dust, pollution, and chemical residues from roofing materials (like asphalt shingles or lead in old flashing).

Because of this, SAFETY IS YOUR #1 PRIORITY.

The Essential Non-Potable Rule

• WARNING: All collected rainwater is for NON-POTABLE USE ONLY. This means DO NOT DRINK IT.

• Signage: If you have an intricate system (like linked barrels or an underground tank), you must place clear, durable signage near all outlets (spigots/hoses) that states: “WARNING: NON-POTABLE WATER. DO NOT DRINK.”

• Watering Edibles: Experts recommend using rainwater only for ornamentals, trees, shrubs, and lawns. If you choose to water food crops:

  • Water the soil directly, not the plant’s leaves or fruit.

  • Do not use rainwater on leafy greens (like lettuce or spinach) that will be eaten raw.

  • Wash all harvested food thoroughly with culinary (potable) water.

Part 3: Rain Barrel Components & Installation Best Practices

A well-installed rain barrel is a safe and efficient tool. While many vendors sell complete kits, you can easily build your own.

Anatomy of a High-Quality Rain Barrel

1. Durable Container: Use only food-grade, opaque, UV-resistant plastic (e.g., repurposed food service barrels or specialized rain tanks). The material must be food-grade to ensure no toxic chemicals leach into the water.

2. Opaque Material: The barrel must block sunlight. Light reaching stored graywater promotes algae growth and can create an environment for bacteria and mosquitoes.

3. Screened Intake: The inlet where your downspout enters the barrel must have a fine mesh screen. This filters out large debris (leaves, sticks) and is your primary defense against mosquitoes.

4. Mosquito Control (The Most Important Part):

   • All openings (intake, overflow, vent) must be sealed or screened.

   • If mosquitoes are a persistent problem, add a “Mosquito Dunk” (a Bti-based biological larvicide) to the water once a month. It is harmless to pets and plants.

5. Overflow Port: When the barrel fills, excess water needs somewhere to go. An overflow port must be located near the top and connected to a hose that directs water at least 5 feet away from your home’s foundation.

6. Outflow Spigot: Located near the bottom (though not flush with the very bottom, to allow sediment to settle) for easy hose or bucket access.

Installation Checklist

• Elevation: Elevate your barrel 12 to 18 inches using strong, stable surfaces like concrete pavers or a sturdy wooden stand. This creates gravity flow (pressure) to make your hose work effectively.

• Stability: A full 55-gallon rain barrel weighs nearly 500 pounds. Ensure it is on a perfectly level, reinforced surface where it cannot tip over.

• Downspout Modification: You will need to cut your existing downspout. Use a specialized downspout diverter kit (the simplest method) or create your own connection using flexible downspout pipe.

Part 4: Brilliant Usage Ideas: How to Spend Your Graywater

Using your rainwater wisely helps you maximize your 100-gallon (or 2,500-gallon) resource.

Landscape Usage (Best Practices)

The ideal use for graywater is on trees, shrubs, and established perennials. These plants are tough and benefit from the acidic, chlorine-free nature of rainwater.

1. Direct Gravity Watering: Attach a short hose (like a “soaker hose” without the emitter restriction) directly to the spigot and let it “drip” water slowly into the root zone of your prize rosebush or hydrangeas.

2. Bucket/Watering Can Fill: Keep your favorite watering can near the barrel for quick, manual watering.

3. Drip Irrigation Supplement: If you are legally linked (Method 2), you can use the barrel as a source for a simple, gravity-fed drip system, bypassing your automatic irrigation controller.

Indoor & Houseplant Usage

• Houseplants: Most houseplants love rainwater. The natural acidity and lack of chlorine/fluoride from municipal water are highly beneficial. Use a clean watering can for this.

Non-Watering Usage

• Compost Moisture: Rainwater is ideal for adding necessary moisture to your compost pile, stimulating the bacteria needed for decomposition.

• Tool/Shoe Washing: Use your hose andgraywater to clean mud off boots, rinse soil from shovels, and wash other outdoor equipment, saving potable water.

Part 5: Essential Maintenance & Long-Term Care

A “set-it-and-forget-it” attitude leads to smelly water and mosquito problems. Rainwater harvesting requires consistent upkeep.

Mandatory Utah Winterization

In our freezing climate, YOU MUST WINTERIZE. Water expands when it freezes, which will crack and ruin a plastic barrel.

1. Drain Completely: Open the spigot and empty the barrel.

2. Rinse & Clean: Wash out any sediment and algae that built up during the year.

3. Restore the Downspout: Disconnect the barrel and reconnect your original downspout, directing water far away from your foundation for the winter.

4. Store Correctly: Ideally, move the barrel indoors (shed/garage). If it must stay outside, store it upside down and cover it to prevent any water from collecting inside and freezing.

Comprehensive Guide to Home Water Conservation

Conserving water at home is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to reduce your utility bills and protect a vital natural resource. Water conservation isn’t about doing without; it’s about being smarter with the water we have. By making small behavioral changes and strategically upgrading fixtures, the average home can reduce its water usage by 30% or more.

Here is a comprehensive checklist of ways to save water, separated by area and method.

Part 1: Indoor Water Conservation

Indoor water use accounts for about 70% of total household water consumption. The biggest culprits are toilets, showers, and washing machines.

Bathroom (The Largest Consumer)

• Toilets:

  • Install Low-Flow Toilets: Replace older toilets (which can use up to 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush) with high-efficiency WaterSense-labeled models that use 1.28 gallons or less.

  • Check for Leaks: Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the color appears in the bowl within 15 minutes without flushing, you have a leak. Replacing a faulty flapper valve is a cheap and easy fix.

  • Don’t Use the Toilet as a Trash Can: Never flush tissues, wipes, or insects. Use a wastebasket instead. 

  • Install a Dual-Flush Converter: If you aren’t ready to replace the toilet, a dual-flush kit allows you to choose a lower-volume flush for liquid waste. 

• Showers & Tubs:

  • Switch to Low-Flow Showerheads: Replace old, high-flow showerheads (using 2.5 GPM or more) with a 1.5 or 1.75 GPM WaterSense model. This saves gallons every minute without sacrificing water pressure.

  • Take Shorter Showers: Aim for 5 to 7 minutes. Using a timer can help keep you on track. 

  • The “Navy Shower”: Turn the water on to get wet, off while you lather soap/shampoo, and back on to rinse. 

  • Collect the “Warm-Up” Water: While waiting for the shower water to heat up, catch the cold water in a bucket and use it to water houseplants or flush the toilet.

  • Choose Showers Over Baths: A standard bath can use 30 to 50 gallons of water, whereas a short shower with a low-flow head uses less than 15 gallons. 

• Faucets:

  • Turn Off the Tap: Never let the water run while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your hands. This simple habit can save 2 to 8 gallons of water a day per person. 

  • Install Faucet Aerators: These inexpensive screw-on devices mix air into the water stream, maintaining high pressure while reducing the total water flow. Look for aerators with a flow rate of 1.0 GPM or less for bathroom sinks. 

  • Fix Faucet Leaks: A slow drip from a faulty washer or O-ring can waste more than 20 gallons of water a day.

Kitchen

• Dishwashing:

  • Only Run Full Loads: Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it’s full or half-empty. Make every cycle count. 

  • Upgrade to an Energy Star Dishwasher: Modern efficient dishwashers use significantly less water (about 3.5 gallons per cycle) than hand-washing full loads. 

  • Skip Pre-Rinsing: Most modern dishwashers don’t require pre-rinsing. Just scrape the food off your plates. If you must rinse, use a basin of water, not a running tap. 

  • Hand-Washing Technique: Fill one sink basin with soapy water for washing and a second basin with clean water for rinsing, rather than running the faucet continuously. 

• Food Prep:

  • Wash Vegetables in a Basin: Use a bowl or a plugged sink filled with water to clean fruits and vegetables, rather than letting the water run over them. Reuse that water for plants. 

  • Keep a Pitcher in the Fridge: Rather than running the tap until the water gets cold enough to drink, store a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. 

  • Defrost Food Safely (Without Water): Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight instead of running hot water over them. 

• Garbage Disposal:

  • Use the Disposal Sparingly: Garbage disposals require a continuous stream of water to operate. Compost your food scraps instead, which is better for the environment and saves water. 

Laundry Room

• Washing Machine:

  • Only Wash Full Loads: Just like the dishwasher, wait until you have a full load of laundry to run the cycle.

  • Use the Appropriate Water Level: If your machine allows you to select the load size/water level, adjust it to match the amount of clothing. 

  • Upgrade to a Front-Load Washer: High-efficiency front-load washing machines use 40% to 50% less water than traditional top-load models.

Part 2: Outdoor Water Conservation

Outdoor water use can account for 30% to 70% of a home’s total water consumption, largely due to inefficient landscaping and irrigation.

• Lawn & Garden Irrigation:

  • Water Wisely (Time of Day): Water your lawn and garden only during the early morning or evening. Watering during the heat of the day (10 AM to 6 PM) causes substantial water loss due to evaporation.

  • Water Less Frequently, But Deeply: This encourages deep root growth, making your lawn more drought-tolerant. A healthy lawn only needs about 1 inch of water per week.

  • Install a Smart Irrigation Controller: These “smart” timers use local weather data to automatically adjust watering schedules, preventing irrigation when it’s raining or windy. 

  • Use Drip Irrigation: For flower beds, shrubs, and gardens, use drip irrigation systems that apply water directly to the soil at the plant’s roots, minimizing evaporation and runoff. 

  • Check and Adjust Sprinklers: Regularly inspect your sprinkler heads to ensure they aren’t broken or spraying water onto sidewalks, driveways, or the side of the house. 

• Landscaping & Hardscaping:

  • Xeriscaping (Drought-Tolerant Landscaping): Replace water-thirsty grass lawns with native plants, ornamental grasses, and mulch that require little to no supplemental watering. 

  • Mulch Everything: Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch (like wood chips or bark) around trees, shrubs, and in garden beds. Mulch suppresses weeds, cools the soil, and dramatically reduces moisture evaporation. 

  • Mow Higher: Set your lawnmower blade higher (3 inches or more). Taller grass shades the soil, reducing water loss.

• General Outdoor Practices:

  • Sweep, Don’t Hose: Use a broom or blower, not a hose, to clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

  • Use a Shut-Off Nozzle: When watering by hand or washing the car, always use a hose nozzle with a positive shut-off valve so water isn’t running wastefully when you aren’t using it.

  • Install a Rain Barrel: Collect rainwater from your downspouts in a rain barrel to use for watering plants, gardens, and lawns. Check local regulations first, as rainwater harvesting rules vary. 

  • Cover Swimming Pools: A pool cover can reduce water loss from evaporation by 90%. 

Part 3: General Behavioral Habits

• Know Your Water Meter: Learn how to read your water meter. This helps you track your usage and can be used to detect hidden leaks. 

• Encourage the Whole Family: Water conservation is a team effort. Teach your children about the importance of saving water and model good habits yourself.

• Report Leaks: If you see a leak in a public area, such as a fire hydrant or a broken irrigation line in a park, report it to the local water utility.