Off-grid site report

Bolivar County, MS

33.7564, -90.7148 · 138 ft elevation

Read this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Bolivar County, MS, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.

The local rulesBolivar County, MS

Zoning & raw-land occupancy

Unclear - verifyBolivar County has adopted a Land Use Development Code (2008) and Subdivision Regulations (2001) per the Planning Division, but whether the code text addresses off-grid living on agricultural or raw land is not confirmed. Ask the Planning Division directly. source

Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs

Unclear - verifyNo official Bolivar County source confirms how tiny homes on wheels or RVs are treated as permanent dwellings; this is a county-level decision not documented online. Confirm with the County Administrator's office. source

Building permits & codes

Unclear - verifyThe county has permitting jurisdictions but I could not confirm which building code edition, if any, Bolivar County has formally adopted. The County Administrator's office is the point of contact. source

Septic & composting toilets

Generally allowedSeptic and on-site wastewater systems are regulated statewide by the Mississippi State Department of Health's On-Site Wastewater program, with Bolivar County served by MSDH's Delta district environmentalists; no separate county ordinance was found. source

Greywater reuse

RestrictedNo Bolivar County or MSDH exception exists for greywater separate from standard on-site wastewater permitting, so it's regulated the same way septic systems are. source

Rainwater harvesting

Generally allowedNo Bolivar County ordinance restricting rainwater harvesting was found, so the statewide allowance appears to apply without additional local permitting.

Private wells & water rights

Generally allowedWells are regulated statewide by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Land and Water Resources, requiring a licensed contractor and a filed well-completion report; no county-specific variance found. source

Living disconnected from utilities

RestrictedNo Bolivar County page addresses mandatory grid connection, so this defers to the state baseline where off-grid power generation is legal but full disconnection can face restrictions depending on dwelling classification.

Open the full county page with sources →

Sun30-year normals

Peak-sun hours, annual average: 5.3 hrs/day
Worst month (sizes an off-grid array): 3.9 hrs/day
Yearly output per 1 kW of panels: 1,496 kWh

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Weather1991-2020

Precipitation: 55 in/yr
Snowfall: 1 in/yr
Heating degree days: 2,937 (mild)
Frost-free season: Mar 17 to Nov 15

How far help isstraight-line

Hospital Bolivar Medical Center: 0.6 mi
Fire station Cleveland Volunteer Fire Station #2: 0.9 mi
Hardware store Ace Hardware: 0.5 mi
Grocery Walmart Supercenter: 0.2 mi

From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.

Plan this spot

These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 38732).

Size a solar system Heat loss & insulation Firewood per winter Rainwater harvest Garden size Panel tilt

Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.