Rainwater laws / Idaho
Is it legal to collect rainwater in Idaho?
Checked at Idaho's own statutes and agencies, November 2026. Not legal advice.
No state law found
We found no Idaho law about rooftop rain collection. Idaho's water appropriation chapter doesn't mention it either way.
What we checked
We searched Idaho Code Title 42 chapter 2 (full text) and idwr.idaho.gov for anything on collecting rain from a roof and found nothing. That means no state rule we could find limits a rain barrel, not that none exists.
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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