Rainwater laws / Colorado
Is it legal to collect rainwater in Colorado?
Checked at Colorado's own statutes and agencies, November 2026. Not legal advice.
Allowed, with limits
Yes, but only two rain barrels holding 110 gallons in all, at a single-family home or a building of up to four units, for outdoor use on the same property.
What the rules say
- CRS 37-96.5-103: "No more than two rain barrels with a combined storage capacity of one hundred ten gallons or less."
- Outdoor use only, on the property where it's collected: "A person shall not use precipitation collected under this article for drinking water or indoor household purposes."
- A 2025 bill to remove the limits (HB25-1106) failed in committee, so the 110 gallon cap stands.
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
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