Rainwater laws / Arkansas
Is it legal to collect rainwater in Arkansas?
Checked at Arkansas's own statutes and agencies, November 2026. Not legal advice.
Allowed; plumbing rules for indoor use
Yes. Arkansas approves harvested rainwater for non-drinking uses on the property, built to the state plumbing code.
What the rules say
- EPA: "Arkansas approves the use of harvested rainwater for onsite non-potable water reuse applications" (Ark. Code 17-38-201; Arkansas Plumbing Code chapter 13).
Before you buy a big tank
State law is only one layer. Cities and counties can set their own rules, especially for tanks plumbed into the house, and an HOA can limit where a barrel sits. Drinking rainwater needs treatment everywhere. For a barrel or two on a downspout for the garden, the state rule above is usually the one that matters.
Where the numbers come from
Other states
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming