Collecting rainwater illegal??

Kstornado11 · #1 07/26/10, 09:19 PM

I've never heard of such a thing,anyone else?

Quote:

many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties because, according to officials, that rain belongs to someone else.

http://www.naturalnews.com/029286_ra...ion_water.html

WildernesFamily · #2 07/26/10, 09:26 PM

Yep.

Water rights issues were part of the reason we moved from Colorado.

salmonslayer · #3 07/26/10, 10:26 PM

I can just imagine this conversation at the state pen, "What are you in for bub"?, "robbery", "you"?...collecting rain water.

**Roadking** · #4 07/26/10, 10:33 PM

Make it look like a garage...or a shed...
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/5963.pdf
they have 8 different cistern plasn there, from 1963...guess it was okay back then.
Matt

KeithBC · #5 07/26/10, 11:56 PM

There are indeed such laws in some jurisdictions. Luckily for me, my place of residence is not one of them. You shouldn't assume that is is permitted or that it is not permitted until you check what the laws are where you live.

I can understand not allowing you to remove collected rainwater from the site, but I can't see what is wrong with using it where it is collected. I think some jurisdictions are gradually seeing that rainwater collection is actually a good idea and changing laws like that.

Osiris · #6 07/27/10, 01:06 AM

When people go to jail for collecting rain water, it's time for a revolution.

I take Natural News with a grain of salt, personally. I always cross check their articles. Just me I guess, but they've made some claims in the past that weren't true. As with the rest of the net, I always look for supporting articles confirming.

Pops2 · #7 07/27/10, 01:20 AM

it is in fact illegal in UT.

PrettyPaisley · #8 07/27/10, 01:34 AM

So, to whom does the rain belong?

Everyday I think I've heard it all but I am proven wrong time and again.

ChristyACB · #9 07/27/10, 05:37 AM

It's true.

My Dad's place..or rather their former place since they have moved now also...when their uber deep well in Colorado went dry they had to truck in water because they were reminded of the penalties of collecting rainwater.

Makes no sense. Rather than collect and use it there, they have to let it run off and then truck in other water.

They moved to a more reasonable state last month.

navygirl · #10 07/27/10, 06:15 AM

I believe it's got something to do with recharging aquifers... considered a public resource.

Ramblin Wreck · #11 07/27/10, 08:04 AM

I wonder if these laws are enforced? Most of my friends in Colorado collected rainwater, rightly or wrongly.

#12 07/27/10, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyPaisley

So, to whom does the rain belong?

Everyday I think I've heard it all but I am proven wrong time and again.

I'm thinking that if there are laws involved the government must think that the rain belongs to them. Here, the game commission takes the position that all game animals belong to them. Same sort of situation, I imagine.

Wolf mom · #13 07/27/10, 09:08 AM

Yuppers - another stupid governmental law made by stupid progressives that not only don't understand what they are creating laws about, but believe in taking from those who are smart/have (enough to harvest rainwater) to give to those who aren't.

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercy...iltration.html

I guess Colorado thinks there's an invisible super large funnel that connects to the rain clouds and just funnels all water into the aquifir.

Collect the water, use the water. It perks down into the ground into the aquifir. Simplistic, but that's the idea.

CrashTestRanch · #14 07/27/10, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kstornado11

I've never heard of such a thing,anyone else?

http://www.naturalnews.com/029286_ra...ion_water.html

The "kicker"?

Most of the legislation includes wording that covers PUDDLES in your yard! Want some more info? Search what they consider the definition of a watershed.

Kstornado11 · #15 07/27/10, 09:46 AM

Well I hadn't heard of any such thing. I have read stuff here on making rain barrels & etc., seems like such a great way to utilize nature to feed your family.

**highlands** · #16 07/27/10, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf mom

Yuppers - another stupid governmental law made by stupid progressives

Huh? My daughter and I were just reading about this for part of our homeschooling. It wasn't 'progressives'. It was city, business, agriculture and simple greed interests. They divvied up the water rights to the people down stream stealing it from the rural folks who's land the rain fell on. If any division is to be made it is city vs country. Much of this came about during the negotiations of the Hoover Dam......Hoover.

We're in Vermont where this is not such an issue but before buying our land I made dang sure I would own ALL the rights. I also bought at the top of the water shed so I get clean water, not what runs off someone else's land and has been laced with toxins by them. Before you buy property, do research. It really pays off, especially if you're going to be there a long time.

dezingg · #17 07/27/10, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navygirl

I believe it's got something to do with recharging aquifers... considered a public resource.

For a year I rented land that was within a reservoir's watershed. They were very serious about not letting you impound runoff in any fashion.

Mark Twain · #18 07/27/10, 10:05 AM

In Colorado, water has been the cause more law suits and legal agreements than any other issue in the state. My father in law had a ranch in Walden with very senior water rights dating back to the 1870's. The way it works is the most senior rights get water first even if other junior rights are upstream on the ditch. Imagine watching your fields die while water is still running in a ditch that goes right past you but you can't touch it.

My wife was so used to this system that when we bought our land in the Ozarks she wanted to know who owned the water from our spring and the in the creek!

Pink_Carnation · #19 07/27/10, 10:08 AM

In Washington they can choose to shut you down but usually they don't care. The law is to give them something they can use if you are impacting others by collecting.

Right or wrong that is the direction many areas are going as aquifers and other water resources are being drained from over use.

MushCreek · #20 07/27/10, 11:02 AM

What if you happen to catch some raindrops in your mouth? Does that mean you have to go P in the aquifer to replenish it? (Sorry; couldn't help myself)