RAINWATER harvesting is an efficient way to save water and reduce your bills.

But questions have been raised about the legality of collecting rainwater on your property — here’s everything yo need to know.

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Is it illegal to collect rainwater in the UK?

The short answer is: no.

It is perfectly legal to collect and harvest rainwater in Britain.

In fact, numerous water companies and councils actively encourage communities to harvest rainwater.

What are the legal regulations for rainwater harvesting in the UK?

Gov.uk explains that you do not need a water abstraction licence in the following circumstances:

• to harvest rainwater into a reservoir, with or without an overflow, if it only contains collected rainwater
• to use harvested rainwater that has not entered inland surface waters or groundwater
• if the rainwater storage system is used for irrigation, and is not a source of water supply
• to use water stored for irrigation in a reservoir with an overflow, provided that the reservoir is only filled by harvested rainwater or water abstracted from another source under a full abstraction licence

Why do some people think that collecting rainwater is illegal?

The belief that it is illegal to harvest rainwater comes from the US.

Some American states have specific water rights dating back over 150 years.

But the UK has no such laws — it is perfectly legal to collect rainwater that falls on your property.

How is rainwater collection encouraged in the UK?

The Code for Sustainable Homes, launched in 2006, was introduced by the government with the aim of encouraging the sustainable design of new homes. 

All new homes built in the UK are rated against this code. 

The reduction in water consumption offered by a rainwater collection system can lead to a higher rating.

In the case of new builds, a rainwater recycling system is highly likely to count in favour of any planning applications.

What are the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme guidelines?

There are a great many regulations you should be aware of within the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS).

The most important of these is backflow prevention, which states that you need to have certain preventions in place to stop water from entering the mains water supply.

This is to prevent any non-potable water mixing with potable water.

You can read information and get the full guidelines from the WRAS here.

Do you need planning permission for rainwater harvesting systems?

Rainwater harvesting systems very rarely require planning permission.

That said, it is always best to check with your local planning commission to ensure this is the case.

There have been cases where people have had to dismantle their water collection system due to planning permission issues.

How should harvested rainwater be labelled and marked?

All harvested rainwater must be labelled as ‘non-potable’ and not suitable for drinking. This includes the pipework that delivers water around your home and outlets, appliances and valves such as washing machine and toilet taps.

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What are the safe uses for collected rainwater?

It’s often the belief that because rainwater falls from the sky that it is perfectly safe for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. However, that is simply not true. Rainwater is likely to land on the ground or the roof of a home and is, therefore, likely to come into contact with a variety of bacteria, which can cause illness. As such, harvested rainwater should only be used for:

• Flushing toilets
• Laundry
• Washing the car
• Watering the garden

Harvested rainwater should not be used for:

• Drinking
• Cooking
• Washing dishes
• Bathing and personal hygiene

Are there any situations where you need a license to harvest rainwater?

You must apply for a water abstraction licence if you combine harvested rainwater with water from any of the following sources into a reservoir storage system that discharges to inland waters:

• Any watercourse
• Land drainage
• Underground strata
• Gravity intake
• Licensed water abstracted from another source

In these cases you will require both of the following:

• An abstraction licence for the total amount you abstract from the reservoir for irrigation
• Additional licences for any abstraction into the reservoir