Can I collect rainwater in Czechia?
Yes — collecting rainwater is entirely legal, permit-free, and the state will even chip in. Barrels and underground tanks for garden watering go in freely, with no volume limit. The Dešťovka programme (New Green Savings) covers up to about 50 % of the cost across three tiers: a tank for irrigation (from roughly CZK 27,000), a system for toilet flushing, and treated greywater reuse (up to about CZK 105,000) — the amount scales with tank volume. No expert report is required any more and you apply online. The quirk few people know: since 2021 new builds must manage rainwater on site (soakaway or tank) — no rainwater concept, no building permit. And your gutters may not discharge onto a neighbour's land.
📋 The rules
- Rainwater harvesting: no permit, no limits (barrels, tanks, soakaways)
- Dešťovka/NZÚ: subsidies up to ~50 % (irrigation / WC / greywater)
- New builds: mandatory on-site rainwater management (since 2021)
- Roof water must not drain onto the neighbour's plot (Civil Code § 1019)
- Untreated rainwater isn't potable — service water only
🔓 Exceptions
- Flushing with rainwater in apartment buildings: technical conditions and a project
- Discharging surplus to sewers: per operator conditions (charged)
- Large buried tanks: the tank itself needs no permit, but significant earthworks should be cleared with the building office
⚠️ Penalties & fines
No sanction attaches to collecting rainwater itself — it is legal and even subsidised. The trouble starts with neighbours: routing gutters or a tank overflow onto someone else's land intrudes on neighbour rights under § 1019 of the Civil Code, which means a dispute and a duty to fix it at your expense. For a new build, failing the on-site rainwater duty bites hard: you simply do not get the permit and the design goes back for revision. An unwelcome surprise is discharging surplus into the sewer — the operator sets conditions for it and charges for it.
📎 Official sources
- State Environmental Fund · Dešťovka programme (CS) →
- Zakra · Watering with rainwater (CS) →
- Dešťové nádrže · Dešťovka 2025 conditions (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need a permit for a tank?
No, above-ground and underground rainwater tanks need no permit and there is no volume limit. For very large buried tanks, though, clear the more substantial earthworks with the building office first. Collecting rainwater is entirely free.
How much is the subsidy?
It depends on the system: an irrigation tank from roughly CZK 27,000, while flushing and greywater reuse go much higher, up to around CZK 105,000. The amount scales with tank volume and covers up to about half the cost.
Can I flush toilets with rainwater?
Yes, with separate plumbing and filtration — that is exactly what the higher Dešťovka tier funds. In an apartment building you also need a project and compliance with technical conditions; it is not a DIY job.
Is rainwater drinkable?
Not untreated. Use it as service water for the garden, for flushing, or with treatment for laundry. It is not fit to drink however clean the water in the tank looks or however new your roof is.
What is the new-build duty?
Since 2021 the design of a new build must retain rainwater on the plot, typically via a soakaway or a tank. It is a condition of the permit — without it the building office will simply not approve the project.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “rainwater harvesting czech republic”
- “destovka subsidy english”
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