Off-Grid Living in Merrick County, Nebraska

I've been digging into Merrick County, Nebraska for folks thinking about going off-grid there, and the honest answer is: it's mostly workable, but you're dealing with two layers of authority that don't always overlap neatly on public web pages.

Zoning and raw land. Merrick County has a Zoning Resolution and Subdivision Regulations administered by the county's Planning & Zoning Department, with a Board of Adjustment handling variances. The subdivision rules apply countywide except within a mile of a town running its own zoning. I did not find specific text spelling out whether you can just camp or live on raw unimproved land without a permitted dwelling, so treat that as an open question for the Zoning Administrator, not something the county's website settles.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. Nebraska state law (the Legislature's statutes) prevents counties from banning manufactured homes outright, but Merrick County can require them to meet the same foundation, utility hookup, setback, and minimum square footage standards as a site-built house. Tiny homes get classified at the state level, through the Nebraska Public Service Commission's Housing and RV program, as manufactured, modular, or RV. I found no Merrick County-specific tiny house ordinance, so confirm classification and siting rules directly with the county.

Building permits. The county issues zoning/building permits, conditional use permits, and floodplain development permits through Planning & Zoning. I couldn't confirm which edition of the IRC or IBC the county has adopted, so ask the Zoning Administrator before you design anything.

Septic and greywater. This is state territory. Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE/DWEE) runs the Onsite Wastewater Program under Title 124 statewide, and only certified professionals, engineers, or registered environmental health specialists can site, install, or alter a septic system. I found no separate Merrick County septic office, so DWEE is your point of contact. Greywater isn't addressed separately by the county either; assume it falls under the same Title 124 framework, meaning untreated discharge isn't allowed and reuse needs proper treatment.

Rainwater harvesting. No county ordinance turned up either way, and no clear statewide ban exists. I'd call it unclear rather than settled, so if you're planning something substantial, it's worth a call to the county.

Wells. Merrick County sits across two Natural Resources Districts, the Central Platte NRD and the Lower Loup NRD. Any well pumping over 50 gallons per minute needs state registration plus an NRD permit. Basic well construction standards come from the state's Title 178 program under DHHS/DWEE. I did not find a distinct county well permitting desk beyond these state and NRD channels.

Utility disconnection. No blanket rule requiring grid or sewer hookup turned up for unincorporated Merrick County land, but you're still bound by the state's Title 124 wastewater rules and, if applicable, manufactured/modular siting standards. Overall, confidence here is medium: the zoning backbone is clear, but a lot of the granular off-grid questions route back to state agencies rather than a dedicated county environmental office.