Rainwater Harvesting: Legal Frameworks in the United States, Singapore and Other Countries

With increasing climate change effects worldwide, rainwater harvesting is likely to become more and more important to ensure reliable alternative water supply and to conserve the environment. This article examines two goals to be accomplished through rainwater harvesting: (1) augmenting water supply for proposed development’s use through regulations that have been formulated to make the proposed development responsible for at least a portion of the water supply needed to support the new development; and (2) managing stormwater runoff. The results show that many, perhaps most, rainwater harvesting programs, as exemplified by efforts in Singapore and elsewhere around the world, succeed in accomplishing both goals while also serving as effective climate change adaptation strategies.