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In Colorado, Rain Barrels Are Illegal. Yup.Please, slowly step away from the rain drops... |
114 Comments |
| By Michael d'Estries in Climate Change, Conservation, Dumb Ideas, Water | June 25, 2008 | ||
Yesterday, after I vented a bit on the lack of rain barrel options at Big Box stores, a reader tipped us off to a very interesting issue in her state of Colorado. Rain barrels there, you see, are outlawed. Colorado state law mandates that any water falling from the air is not yours. In fact, according to their site, its already been “legally allocated” — so, you don’t actually have any rights when it comes to using precipitation that falls on your property. Here’s the exact wording:
Colorado Water Law requires that precipitation fall to the ground, run off and into the river of the watershed where it fell. Because rights to water are legally allocated in this state, an individual may not capture and use water to which he/she does not have a right. We must remember also that rain barrels don’t help much in a drought because a drought by its very nature supplies little in the way of snow or rain.
Additionally, any and all water that comes from tap may only be used once. “Denver water customers are not permitted to take their bath or laundry water (commonly referred to as gray water) and dump it on their outdoor plants or garden.” Even if that said water is ecologically-friendly?
We’re not alone in thinking this is a stupid law. Last summer, The Colorado Springs Gazette said the following:
“The rain barrel is the bong of the Colorado garden. It’s legal to sell one. It’s legal to own one. It’s just not legal to use it for its intended purpose. Meanwhile, when rain does fall, the torrential flood caused by water running off a few thousand acres of roofs, roads and parking lots erodes downstream ranches, undercuts city sewer pipes and really makes Pueblo mad.
It’s gotten so bad that the city is taxing us all — excuse me, feeing us all — to pay for $295 million in stormwater projects. So wouldn’t it make sense to save a little rain when it falls, keep it from barreling down Fountain Creek, and use it when needed? Of course it would.”
So, to the people of Colorado, I’m sorry you have to deal with such inane laws. Not having any rights in the first place to something that freely falls over your head just seems bizarre.
Anyone out there actively breaking this law because it’s lame? Anyone ever seen it enforced?
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David said,
New Mexico has the same kind of laws, dependent on where you live. Something to think of for us, as we are moving there on Friday! It’s a dumb law, really, as even if catch the rain you eventually let it go back into the earth, right? So it still ends up where it is supposed to go “by law”.
Radfahrer said,
Fark has a category for this its called “asinine”. I’m not a geologist or watershed expert but I cannot see rain barrels adversely affecting the ground watter supply. Lets say you have four 25 gallon rain barrels (one for each corner of your hypothetical house) that adds up to 100 gallons. Which will make for great armchair math. The average new home in Bolder is somewhat over 6000 square feet. Average rainfall in the Bolder area is 1.6 inches per month. Lets call it 1.5 to be on the safe side and keep with the armchair math. So 6000 sq. ft. by 1.5 inches (.125 feet) = 750 cubic feet. Convert that to gallons and you get 5,600 gallons and change. Per Month! Thats 67,200 gallons per year that would fall on the average Boulder resident’s home. Those rain barrels are holding back a whopping 0.1 percent of the rainfall even during years of drought. ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!!!
We should definitely ban rain barrels…. Er wait a second. Thats Asinine!
george said,
In Boliva the government attempted to take away people’s rights to use rain water too – in order to protect the monopoly on water delivery they had granted to a private corporation. The company began charging so much for water the people revolted.
http://www.amazon.com/%C2%A1Cochabamba-Water-Bolivia-Oscar-Olivera/dp/0896087026
Dave said,
Land owners in Colorado usually have water rights as well. Sometimes you have to buy more than come with the property, such as for irrigation for a farm or something like that.
Anonymous said,
Doesn’t it mean that if there is a flood in Colorado then a victim of the flood can sue the government for damages and have a court order the government to remove their water?
Eric Berlin » Blog Archive » Umbrellas are still legal… for now said,
[...] In Colorado, it is illegal to collect rain. [...]
solarcub said,
Actually, to figure out what percentage of the water you’re taking, you have to know how often it rains. If you fill and drain the barrels once a month, you get 1200 gallons per year, which is 1.8% of the total water, not .1%. If it rains once a week (not consistently likely in Colorado), you get about 7%. Finally, the average house in Boulder probably has more like a 1500 sq ft roof (two story house with 3000 sq ft total), which bumps it up to 28%. So, you can actually capture a significant portion of the water falling on the roof. Of course, the next question is, how big is your roof compared to the total size of the property? If you have a big lot and a small house, it’s not much water compared to the total.
Leaving all that aside, I still think it’s crazy that they’re illegal. If they were legal, and we charged market rates for water, then everyone would have one by now.
Nimic said,
Rainwater falling on our own property should be legal to collect. At least in reasonable amounts for personal use. As an aside, I didn’t know about the existence of rain barrels, and I think I am going to look for one. I got the perfect place for it, and it’s rainy season here in Florida!
Mel said,
I live in Colorado.
For some reason I thought there was something going through the state legislature this year that was going to allow us to have rain barrels, but I never heard what happened to it.
I don’t have a rain barrel, but I do reuse cooking water to water the plants. Don’t tell.
Neal said,
In 1998 the UN past a resolution that all water on the planet is to be commercial.
These “laws” are simply to ensure you people don’t steal someone else’s property.
Can’t you understand …. if you owned the rain water that fell on your neighbours roof and he started collecting it and using it for his own selfish reasons, you would be damaged commercially?
Therefore as a corporation (NGO) you would approach government to require them to protect your commercial interests … nothing new here is there??
The reason they can do this … and leave you without any real remedy .. is because you let them.
By “trusting government, and not keeping an eye on your won interests, you lost the right to even the rain water on your roof.
Remedy:
May be available by finding the company who is claiming to have ownership of the water and placing a trespass order on the company demanding they stop their rain landing on your roof.
You tank is then to collect evidence and you should keep good records and sue every year for the damage you suffer.
I’ll leave you with it but I know you don’t have the balls to pull it off … I have.
iron-clay.com
Dagny said,
I agree that this makes about as much sense as homeowner associations not allowing solar panels on roofs because they don’t ‘look’ good.
Dagny
http://www.onnotextiles.com
organic apparel
Gideon said,
John Nichols (of Milagro Beanfield War fame, not the Nation columnist) wrote a novel called The Majic Journy, outlining how Colorodo was privatized by real estate developers and corporations. While it was fictionalized, I can see how this law might have been initially enacted to help drive out subsistence farmers (who didn’t bother to pay for their water rights). The extension (from what ever the origional plan was) to present day home owners’ rain barrels and grey water is a great illustration of one of the novels points, that these one-aim regulations can end up spreading their perversity far beyond their origional scope.
Dan said,
You want to hear something more asinine? I have a friend who lived in Denver proper. In summer they have water restrictions enacted so they could only water their lawn OR garden on certain days. The city would patrol and ticket people who would have sprinklers for their grass or garden on the days they were restricted. In the meantime, there was a golf course a couple miles away from my friend’s house and they would water their fairways every day. Of course there were no restrictions on watering the golf courses. Asinine.
hannah said,
when rain barrels are outlawed, yada yada yada.
There are so many convoluted perspectives on this. Theoretically, reusing your greywater in a safe way actually contributes to purifying water, sending it downstream without the use of a possibly already overstressed treatment plant. The rain you keep and use on your garden, is just delayed in going downstream. It’s not like it is permanently diverted from a flume. If your water supply comes from a reservoir like ours does, not using it for watering my garden, keeps it in the reservoir for the use of the designated users with water rights on the river. I say everyone should get a bright blue rainbarrel and see what happens. Plant native trees, soon, that may be illegal with this train of thought. They take up water. I know they were cutting non-native olive trees in NM, so don’t go that route. And check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdeACFj06Fw&feature=related
we are the weeds. and look at his video about the dead sea area of Jordan.
Greg Lang said,
This is beyond stupid but of course Denver is requiring color coded local grown organic food from vendors at the upcoming Dem convention.
With water there is usually a difference between “using” and “mining” a resource. In the case of water drilling would constitute “mining” and this might include a platted creek on a large piece of land. The roof barrels are just absurd. To give a personal example the roof “footprint” on my http://searshouse.com would be around 1200 square feet. My garage would be around 780 square feet, make it 800 for a grand total of 2,000 square foot. I won’t try the math per inch of rain.
Here in the Twin Cities, MN (home of the Republican Convention) they mandate storm water collection ponds on large new parking lots. The encourage these at home and also encourage roof gutter collection systems. You people are weird!
Greg Lang said,
Quick! Bust Coors Beer. Just the other day I saw Coors in a Minnesota Liquor store! A key ingredient is Colorado water that is being exported out of the the state!
hannah said,
ah, but you can have a handgun, so no worries…..
trashdigger said,
I live in Denver (the north side) and have had rainbarrels for years As a matter of fact during the big Dec blizzard two years ago I filled quite a few during the melt and used it that entire summer. MOisture has not been good this year so I collect whatever I can.
If the law wants to come on down, great.. we also have the “make my day law”.I do what I need to in order to survive
Meg said,
I just don’t get this. That is the craziest thing I think I’ve heard in a long time.
hannah said,
I am sure Coors has the water rights, in fact, about as right as you can get!
Get out the Tar and Feathers... said,
One commenter hit the nail on the head… the whole reason the law is there is because the citizens of Colorado have refused to do anything about it. Personally, I think the person who drafted this legislation, and also those who passed it into law should be held accountable by the people of Colorado. Their names should all be published in articles and they should be interviewed on talk shows and should be held accountable for their tyranny. Tar and feathers (and encouraging videos for youtube) should not be out of the question.
What next… will they tax sunlight that strikes “your” property? Or maybe tax the windows that permit the sunlight to enter your dwelling? Tax solar panels annually, maybe? Oh, how about the air? Or the birds that deposit poop on your lawn, eh? Don’t forget those rain gauges, they collect water, too. Too much time on their hands, those legislators have… they should be required by court order to finish their years of public service doing something useful for the public whom they profess to “serve”… at their local wastewater treatment plant.
Edward said,
There’s a civil war coming….
Edward said,
And, by the way, that’s what you get for voting for Socialist pigs, aka Democrats.
Joe said,
Living out west, although not specifically in Colorado, I own property which had the water and mineral rights sold before I purchased the property. Water collection on the property is a violation of the person who owns the water rights to this land, the same as mining would be a violation of the person who owns the mineral rights. In places where drought is normal (we average a little over 20″ or rain each year) water rights are valuable and usually owned by counties, investors, or previous owners who don’t transfer water rights with the property when it’s purchased for other purposes, such as to use for residential housing.
Living in the east part of the country, there’s no understanding of the laws governing water and mineral rights as they are on the west coast… in a place where the average rainfall can exceed 100″ per year, they aren’t necessary. In a place like California where agriculture is a huge part of the economy and rainfall can dip into single annual digits, the value of water and accounting for that water becomes very valuable. One person collecting 50 gallons of water won’t hurt the system…. 500, 1000, 2,500 people collecting 50 gallons of water becomes a problem. These laws are about to keep people from causing large-scale problems. Everything counts in large amounts.
Robert said,
That has to be the crazist law. In Australia they subsidise rainwater tank installations http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/InYourGarden/RainwaterTanks/index.cfm. Not teeny little rainwater barrels but tanks that have at least ten times the capacity.
hannah said,
I am still not understanding why the holding and then releasing of water violates water rights. This is not like someone is starting a bottling plant and sending the water to LA. I bet that the laws against greywater collection would not hold up in court, either. Especially if you were using greywater from your bath to flush your toilet. When you collect water for your garden, you use it while the garden can still be growing, which is not just a length of time determined by water availability. If gardens are designed for low water usage, good soil condition, shaded tender varieties, you could even cut down on the collection. Hey, having a garden is hard work, and if the entities with the big water rights want to help, they should use the precious resource to grow organic fruit and veggies and sell to local stores. Where this water is going may not be for a greater good than the borrowing of it, temporarily, is. IMHO.
trashdigger said,
water is a precious commodity. Whatever lands on my roof, gathers and runs-off into may rain barrels is mine. Let us not forget that possession is 9/10s of the law. Whatever lands in my yard or on the maters and cukes is free and can go wherever it wants after my veggies get their share. As for the collection scneario. Any water that I gather will eventually find its way to the wherever. It just may take some time.
Bonnie said,
Today I learned that the rain barrels are illegal in Colorado, and I think this is so sad. I have been researching rain barrels because I want to get one. Does anyone know if they enforce this law or what the fine is if you are caught? Also with all of the Green initiatives and the Mayor’s ambitious Green policy’s is there any legislation to have this law updated to meet his Green standards?
3 Clothing said,
Greenville, SC is creating a comprehensive plan that will be encouraging the use of rain barrels and the planting of run off gardens to protect stream banks and reduce the storm water projects.
Chaz said,
For those going off half-cocked about tar and feathers and holding lawmakers accountable and publishing their names and interviewing them on TV, well, good luck. These laws, ridiculous as they may seem today go WAY, WAY back before any contemporary lawmakers. Colorado water law is contained in the State Constitution Article XVI sections 5 and 6 and in the Colorado Revised Statutes, sections 37, articles 80 through 92. The freaking state CONSTITUTION, folks! And that section hasn’t been altered very recently.
These laws have their origins back in the days when diverting a stream to steal water for your crops and cattle was a hanging offense and a law prohibiting it actually made sense. Can/should they be changed? Can – definitely. Should – maybe not.
Look at it this way; even if we wouldn’t enact them today, they ARE laws and they have BEEN in place (in some cases) for over a century, and people HAVE rights that have been guaranteed under these laws. What would your reaction be if someone changed property laws and took away your right to own guns because enough people thought it was a stupid to allow gun ownership? I suspect the reaction would be not just no, but hell no. Even if the contemporary consensus were that gun ownership is bad (and let’s not get into the recent SCOTUS decision on DC’s gun ownership ban – this is just an example), you would expect to keep the rights you have had for a century. This is despite the fact that these laws stem from the days when there was a real, legitimate, every day need to own guns. I doubt many of us need to fend off cattle rustlers and cougars in our garages today, but those sort of instances are the genesis of gun ownership laws in Colorado. The water laws made sense at one time as well. If we think they’re an onerous burden now, contact your legislators and change them.
Terri said,
Wow, this is really scary. What’s next? Putting limits on how much sunshine you can enjoy?
Anne Karine said,
You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s like the case of Monsanto patenting seeds and nature. Where is this going? Pretty soon, we’ll be charged for the air we breathe.
Elegant rain barrels said,
It continues to astonish me the random laws still in place in some states. I agree with the comment that citizens (especially the ones with rain barrels) need to step up and at least try to take action. It’s a shame that hardworking people that are truly trying to make a positive environmental change are being “hand cuffed” (excuse the pun) for their actions!
Rain Barrels are illegal? « greener loudoun said,
[...] that said I was not surprised to learn that In Colorado, Rain Barrels Are Illegal. According to a post at Groovy Green: Colorado state law mandates that any water falling from the [...]
Douglas said,
Guys, you should look up “Riparian Water Rights” which is the doctrine common in the western United States for governing water rights. As said earlier by Chaz, these types of laws go back hundreds of years, with origins in Spanish law. However, making rain barrels illegal does seem to take the law to the legal absurdity.
Yes Terri, there are laws that govern how much sunshine you can take. Specifically laws against blocking your neighbor’s solar collector. This law pits the owners of shade trees and high-rise developers against the the owners of solar energy systems.
dave said,
It’s not quite as stupid as it sounds, but it is pretty stupid. The law gives landowners the right to sell the water rights attached to their property. One could, theoretically, repurchase the water rights for their land, and do whatever they hell they wanted with the water that fell on it.
stupid said,
I guess there is money involved too. The water company just cannot charge you of the water disposal fee for the collected rain.
Rhonda said,
Talk about learning something new everyday. However, I do agree with the Constitution way, way back to not divert rivers, streams, creeks for your sole use. But using rain barrels to collect water off your roof? Come on folks! Let’s use some common sense. If people used their heads and did the right things, we wouldn’t need so many laws.
Matt Brodak said,
Hrmm… well I live in Colorado Springs and have yet to see the Rain Barrel police come and get anyone. Sorta like leash laws… the city does not have the resources to enforce the law.
Elly said,
I too live in Colorado and have a rain barrel. I haven’t yet heard of anyone being prosecuted for owning one. In fact I just bought another one, recycled of course. In part due to our town’s decision to triple our water and sewer rates. They need to do this because the current water and sewer system needs a major upgrade and can’t keep up with current use. Surely my using rainwater to water my vegetables will help this problem as I’m less of a strain on an already strained system. I use many other methods to maximize water use around my garden including creating mulch burms and planting where rain falls unimpeded. Do I owe some water rights person a percentage of my vegetables. Where should I send their lettuce, zucchini etc…?
Water - another commodity - pay or go thirsty? « Play2survive’s Weblog said,
[...] is coming – I refer you to this blog about water laws in Colorado State, New Mexico maybe too, where it is illegal to collect rain water [...]
Bob in Adams Co Colorado said,
Blame it on the Army. Water allocation in the West was instituted by the Army. Dig a pond, and someone can charge you if you evaporate their surface water and they have the water rights. Most of the time, the Water Court (yes, Colorado has Water Courts) make you augment the surface water (pump for your well that you have rights to) to replace what evaporates. Rainwater is not “Ground water” it is surface run-off and often called “Ditch water.” I have a well permit from the state that allows me to draw 15 gallons per min from the Lower Arapaho Aquifer, but I have no right to surface water. You can pipe it away from structure and direct the water to other area. So the gutters on my barn a piped to flood the front yard. You just can’t store someone elses water unless you lease or buy the water rights associated with it.
Kate said,
Wow, things have changed in Colorado. I was just chatting up the concept of recycling with a neighbor here in s. Indiana. This concept is lost out here…there is firm belief that if you own the soybean field you also have the right to dump your old appliances on it. Family dumps.
I reminisced how as a teenager 4 decades ago we went to all kinds of effort to nurture recycling programs. Collecting the beer cans and smashing them, then taking them to the recycle bin to earn gas money…oops I guess that was a bit counter the plan.
Anyhow, I’ll have to check if there’s some law out here about dumping dehumidifier water on plants, allowing rainwater to collect in ponds and subsequently having turtles and fish bathe in it. LOL.
Alan in Denver Colorado said,
I live in Denver and would love to own a rain barrel which is what brought me to this site. Unfortunatly as backwards as people think Colorado Water Law is, it affects far more people than those who live in Colorado. There are two laws in specific that govern everything else. Colorado is required to release certain flows to Kansas and Nebraska through teh South Platte river and the Arkansas River. The Second is the Colorado River Pact that was signed by New Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming and California in the early 1900’s. This law allows L.A., Las Vegas, Pheonix and most western agriculture to exist. It has also caused the Colorado River Delta to Dry up and become an unusable salt flat. This law allocated every drop of water in the Colorado to each state with a little left over to Mexico. The question is one of global importance and why not having a rain barrel is important. when looking specifically at your own home, it may not seem like a lot of water to be storing. But start calculating your 50 gallons of water over every home in the western US. If you assume ther are roughly 10,000,000 homes in the western US that would equate to 500,000,000 gallons of stored water. this would be equivallent to approximately 11,500 acres of land flooded by 1 foot of water or enough water for 4,000 families of four for a year. The other thing to think about is that if you water your plants the plants use that water and it is evaporated to the atmosphere where it travels east from Colorado wher it can no longer be used by teh Western US. Colorado Water law is extreamly complex and extreamly old and for the most part works from a regional level even if it seems antiquated. For those with Rain Barrells, there are no police, but if a farmer with senior water rights on any river can not get enough water he will go looking for someone to sue and you are on the wrong side of the law.
Trolling in Shallow Waters » Blog Archive » Rain barrels and water law said,
[...] Club for Growth’s Dumb Laws Blog quotes the Groovy Green Blog: Colorado state law mandates that any water falling from the air is not yours. In fact, according [...]
Cheap Like Me said,
Legislation passed this year in Colorado to provide for legislation to be looked into in 2009:
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/GovRitter/GOVR/1212052624542
Water rights is big business in Colorado. But it’s not like we get much rain, anyway.
You *can* catch the water as the shower is heating up and use that elsewhere — because you haven’t actually used that water yet.
Little Flower Urban Dwellings said,
Rainwater detention is illegal, but retention is not and now often required to avoid urban flash flooding. Skip the rain barrel and direct the runoff to whatever you want to irrigate. This not only waters your vegetation, but buffers streams from all that crap washing off your roof and helps replenish the groundwater resource.
werdna said,
response to someone above: “yeah they used to actually tax windows in england in i think in the 1600’s anywhere from 1400-1800s i cant really remember….”
Yeah this is a big problem property law and the infrastructure of utilities is so fucked up.
My water is essentially swamp water (live in savannah) and I pay insane money for it. I would love to get a discount but since theres only one pipe system theres only one water company. its such bullshit.
CaCrazy said,
Does anyone in Colorado have a swimming pool? Obviously they are breaking the stupid law by collecting rain water. If I lived in Colorado I would have rain barrels all over my yard and take the case to the United States Supreme Court. What happened to freedoms, the persuit of happiness, and what exactly are the laws pertaining to real estate in CO? Here in CA we own the air space up above and under ground to an indefinate depth. I would take the case all the way to the top cheese. Next they will tax the residents for breathing the air that the trees need to grow so the builders can cut them down to build more houses so the state of Colorado can make more stupid laws! The residents are allowing this to happen to them, so don’t whine!
John Shriver said,
Did anyone forget last year in Denver, and surrounding areas, Denver Water raised their water rates because users were conserving TOO much and their profits were down.
MadAsHell said,
It is NOT a stupid law. When water is privatized all the water falling from the sky cuts into corporations profits. So it is very smart to make collection illegal. Who do they (government) serve? Really? I’m just surprised they didn’t come up with some story how little kids drowned in a rain barrels and that’s why it’s banned. To make things safer for us. We should be thankful…
Jocko said,
I believe that the reason why its illegal to collect rain water in Colorado is due to reparations made to the Native Americans for stealing the water up stream, leaving them with little water that was heavily polluted.
The truth is, I don’t see many water companies complaining because it allows them to control pricing in a supply capped market.
I think it is ridiculous tho.
Ryan said,
I wonder if it’s illiegal to have many plants in your yard, or a lot of grass. If you have lots of grass, that water is soaked into the grass roots before it soaks deep into the ground, or leave your yard. So, should I be penalized, or put in jail for having too much grass?
Curtis said,
That is just so insain some of the laws in this country. And they say we are free, yeah right. I heard about this story on the news and couldn’t believe my ears. You would think that since the water falls on your property you should have every right to it. Sombody should take this matter up in the supreme courts. I would do it but my intelligence permits me from doing so.
All I can say is I feel real bad for you guys in colorado and I hope that that law never comes around here.
Now that i think about it, it reminds me about the stupid law in oregon suggesting that no one is allowed to pump their own gas. What has this country come to.
irsean said,
Edward: You’re an idiot and an a**hole.
How can you lay blame for privatization (a capitalist ideal) at the feet of people you claim are Socialists.
What a jerk?
irsean said,
Some people like Edward have no idea what they’re talking about. Open markets are marks of a free society. Governments giving allocate resources to individuals or corporations are more akin to less “free” societies more commonly known as “Communism”.
The big difference between Socialism and Communism is that socialism gives property to the people for their use while Communism is nothing more than State owned Capitalism (see: China and Cold War USSR).
The next time you want to bitch about Socialism Eddie-boy, just remember that most of your vital services (e.g Fire and police services, libraries, etc) are of a socialist nature.
BAW said,
If I lived in Colorado, I’d be writing my legislator about this.
Clay said,
You guys just don’t get it. If you collect rain water and use it to water your lawn or garden, then you are Not using your culinary water that you BUY from the city or county. Therefore you are stealing from the government, and they just can’t have that. Just one more way that they have a handle on you and their hand in your pocket.
Ninie said,
I don’t see anything bad about collecting rain water. It wouldn’t do any harm to anybody, even though there is some laws to respect.
Ninie
Colorado Drug Addiction
John Lee said,
As a member of the thoughtful WORLD population (not just “American”), it is… I would say… your OBLIGATION to break this law–or at least fight it. NO GOVERNMENT OR INSTITUTION HAS ANY RIGHT TO LEGISLATE AGAINST YOUR CONSCIENTIOUS USE OF NATURE.
Next they’ll start taxing oxygen… and people will pay it.
Josh said,
LOL… Actually, it is NOT illegal to collect rainwater in Colorado, depending on how you do it and what you use it for. The reason for the restrictions on collecting rain water in Colorado is that most of the state is quite dry and relies heavily on underground aquifers which are being tapped at an alarming rate. Any water caught before it hits the ground and diverted from these aquifers and watershed merely excerbates the problem. That being said, a common legal use would be to collect the raingutter water from a house roof and use it to irrigate a lawn or garden. Putting up catch surfaces is illegal, as is using the water for just about anything other than irrigation. The water MUST enter the watershed in a similar manner as it would if it landed on the ground. It CANNOT enter the sewer system. Also, it should be obvious that a 15,000 gallon cistern is not going to be allowed, but a 50-60 gallon barrel is fine. Just be prepared to show that you only use it for irrigation.
BeTrueSeekTruth said,
This is not a stupid law. Its by design. Designed by people who want to control you and eventually exterminate you. Believe its all a conspiracy? See commandment 1 of the Georgia Guidestones.
THE MESSAGE OF THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES
1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature
http://www.radioliberty.com/stones.htm
This is just the tip of the iceberg. See eugenics and Social Darwinism.
RebelAlliance said,
There is no acceptable “for” argument to support this stupid law.
Water and mineral rights sold separately? Ahhh, ’scuse me? “Rights” are now purchased?…Backward thinking going on there; Rights are God given – so is rain. Nobody has any ownership claim to it…everyone has a claim to it.
Live free. Do what you know is right. And since what’s right often clashes with what’s law these days; 1)take the ticket, 2)go to court, 3)shove the ticket down the back of your pants, 4)wipe your ass with it, 5)spit on it, 6)stick it to the judge’s bench, 7)walk out yelling “FREEDOM”.
Note: Everyone needs to do and support this. It will work.
Utah Residents and Businesses Do Not Own the Water that Falls on Their Property » GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow said,
[...] Colorado, Utah has laws on the books that make it illegal to collect rainwater that falls on one’s [...]
Utah Residents and Businesses Do Not Own the Water that Falls on Their Property | Зелена блогосфера said,
[...] Colorado, Utah has laws on the books that make it illegal to collect rainwater that falls on one’s [...]
More Detailed Control From Hilary Benn « Broken Britain said,
[...] Groovy Green [...]
pleuriticus said,
Although capturing in a rain barrel only delays the conveyance of water to the watershed if the water is used for plants and landscapes, water rights are usually written to be exercised during certain periods of the year (like during Spring, when the snows are melting in the mountains of Colorado and most of the years runoff occurs). The water right specifies timing and location at which water will be withdrawn from streams and rivers in Colorado, and all water rights are granted by the courts. So, any delay of water runoff is also a violation of water rights in Colorado.
There are many more problems with the way water rights are granted, transferred, exercised, enforced, and withdrawn in Colorado. Too many for the average person to count, and many of them peculiar to Colorado.
Jeannie said,
I live in the mountains west of Denver and we are not allowed to do ANY outside watering whatsoever. However, the folks down in Denver & it’s suburbs can. If you do, and you’re caught, or turned in by a neighbor, it is grounds for your water service to be discontinued. Then you would have to pay to get your water hauled in by an independent contractor, or move. If you have a hot tob you have to have the water hauled in too. My neighbor was telling me of the Water Company coming along and removing your outside spickets if you were caught using them. And yes, it is true that it is against the law to use rain barrels (but I have one hidden from view behind my house–don’t tell!)
KP said,
That is so interested in crazy at the same time.
They could however use a simple rain water diverter and fill up a bucket or other container.
I bought one of these and it worked great.
http://stores.ebay.ca/Shiny-Planet
Keep on saving the environment one at time!
Review: The Beautiful And Functional Cascata Rain Barrel » GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow said,
[...] if those people hard hit by drought took advantage of such a product (Sorry, Colorado — it’s still illegal to capture rain where you live!). Within 24 hours, I was happily watering my garden with rain captured from the previous [...]
Bruce Manvell said,
Here in El paso we have to pay a storm water run off TAX. Yes they tax us for water that runs off our roofs or cement. I wonder if Texas would like to lay claim to my water run off. they can have it for free.
Nathan in MO. said,
Water is not the problem. It is overpopulation in a dry climate. These issues and others are happening all over the country and the world. It will only get worse. From some of the posts that i have read it sounds like some of you are lawyers, there is an overpopulation problem there too. To may lawyers and not enough ambulances. As far as Chaz and his anti gun statements, you are right we don’t need guns to stop rustlers, cougars, etc. But you are looking at the gun issue from just one side. There are sport, self defense, and most importantly the preservation of democracy to consider. An unarmed population is a thousand times easier to control by the socialist. Are you a socialist? As for rain barrels our city is looking at requiring them in our proposed green overlay rersidential district. We don’t have a water problem in Missouri Yet. If this country wants to save water just ban residential lawn irrigation systems. The water table could use the support especially in dryer climates.
Dan said,
B******t.
I’m in the UK.
These are terrible laws.
I pity those who have to abide by them.
An ECO Machine that can pull water out of the air | Libertyaholic.com said,
[...] skeptical though. How long will it be before the Eco-Fascist-Squads make it illegal to pull water out of the Eco [...]
Amy said,
whoa…That is shucking news… I never thought that rain waters is not allowed to saved… I already bought barrels here http://buybarrels.com/ and decided to saved… hmmm
TGahndi said,
Yeah, I found out about it a few years ago when we were having a bit of a drought. I suggested to an Aurora City Counsel person that the City implement a “buckets and barrels program” to catch cold water indoors (while waiting for your bathwater to get hot) and rain water outdoors. The water would supplement irrigation systems, help keep the city green, and maintain housing values by maintaining the landscape.
She explained it like “Don’t be stupid, it’s illegal to collect rainwater!” As if I had suggested carving up children and draining their blood into the lawn.
Realize however: My HOA will not allow me to install a water-saving landscape – I am REQUIRED to have grass. I will get a ticket from the City and the HOA if I let my grass turn brown (or let it grow a bit longer so it can hold water better).
If you let your grass die, they will replace it and send you the bill. If you don’t pay the bill they will take your house – no kidding.
An employee of Aurora Water lives less than a block away, and they DO ticket the neighbors for watering on restricted days. I would have to disguise my rain barrel pretty well (maybe bury it at ground level?), or I’m sure I’d get ticketed. My house backs to open space (City property) so I can’t even hide the barrels in the back yard!
PS: I’m pretty sure that there is a State law that says you can’t have sex with your wife if she’s been dead more than 24 hours too. But I’m sure there’s a logical reason for that…
TGahndi said,
One more quick note. In parts of Brazil, the US Virgin Islands, and other places, rainwater harvesting systems and cisterns are REQUIRED as part of the building code.
The Legality of Green: No Rain Barrels for Colorado :: The Gadfly Revolution said,
[...] found a curious post over at Groovy Green today. Apparently, in Colorado, rain barrels are illegal. This information comes from Denver Water’s website, specifically a page titled Frequently [...]
Colorado Joe said,
I’ve had rainbarrels for over 20 years now in CO and never a problem from the “authorities”. I figure it like this, I let them fill and then release at night when the evaporation rate is near zero. Due to the condensing of storm moisture in the mountains throughout the earlier hours of the day, the eastern part of the Front Range (Rockies) normally get’s rain between 430 and 9 PM when it’s hot and instantly evaporates. So the way I see it, I should be charging for my services and not letting the moisture return to clouds headed towards Kansas. Besides I may even be preventing a tornado so do you think I can get an insurance rebate from Kansas or Nebraska for risk mitigation? As far as water rights go, I’m not keeping it, just using it wisely for a bit of time. BTW, if we have enough time and resources to police for rain barrels then I guess all our other worldly problems are already solved, with that I would welcome the ignorance and say let the policing commence! Live Free or Die! (The Libertarian in me)
Eco House: A Sustainable Living Dollhouse | Thingamababy said,
[...] If you live in Colorado, be advised that rain barrels are illegal because the government owns all water that falls from the sky within its borders. Only let your [...]
Colorado Ed said,
I am curious why people think it’s the socialists that want to control the population? First off, there are no socialists in the US that are in any position to do anything to about our freedoms one way or another. Second, the administration in power for the last 8 years has done more to curtail personal and civil liberties than practically any other force in the history of our country. Removing Habeas Corpus is way more scary than anything that any so called socialists have done.
These laws in Colorado were established long before people in the US were freaking out about imaginary threats from socialists. They are archaic, but they are the law of the land. However, I think they are enforced only sporadically. I have heard of a guy who lives up in the mountains who has cisterns that gather thousands of gallons of water every year. The authorities know all about it, but because he gives water to fire fighting efforts in his area, they let him slide. It might be worth trying to get a political movement to allow rain collection up to a point, but there are a lot of people in many states downstream who have a lot of stake in what happens so that might be a difficult task. I’d be all for it, but water issues out here in the west aren’t anything like what people experience in other parts of the country. Whoever it was that said there are too many people living in the desert is right. Vegas is an abomination. In the meantime, I’m going to find a barrel.
Anonymous said,
Collecting rainwater is illegal in the state of Colorado because all of our water runs down to other states like New Mexico. Rain is extremely more abundant in Colorado and New Mexico doesn’t always get that much water. New Mexico needs it too, and can’t have it if Coloradans, like myself, keep it for ourselves.
mcmarkus said,
Here is a point to ponder. If the state of Colorado “owns” the water then by default they are responsible for what that water does, so if it floods my house it is their water doing the damage and they should pay to fix it.If a few hundred people sued the state for what “their” water did,(flood,erosion, water damage) then they would back off this stupid twist of the law.
also if the water is owned by the first one to use it thennnnn the native americans own it,or lets see… God who made it owns it so Colorado should be paying them for the water.
siri said,
I’ve lived in Colorado all of my 57 years. I lived in the mountains for 2 of those in a house with no running water, just for the experience of it. There were rain barrels there and I used them quite successfully, never had any “authority problems”, but it was pretty far in the backwoods.
Now that I’ve read THIS, I’m getting myself a couple and will use them. I had been thinking about it for a couple of years now anyway. This was all that was needed to go on and just do it.
Screw em’.
And THAT’S the “libertarian” in ME.
If & when I ever get my first “rain barrel ticket”, I’ll let ya know. You just can’t make this chit up.
siri
» Collect Rain in a Barrel, Go to Jail. Rain Barrels Illegal in Colorado Dvorak Uncensored: General interest observations and true web-log. said,
[...] In Colorado, Rain Barrels Are Illegal. Yup. » GroovyGreen.com – Start Today :: Save Tomorrow — Reader Dane Elshof wrote me in response to some comments about how they collect water in Bermuda which I made on No Agenda to inform me that in Colorado the practice of even re-using water (you legally cannot recycle your own water) is against the law in Colorado and he suspects (I do too) that this is the case in most states. Meanwhile everyone bitches about droughts, lack of water and do what they can to jack up water rates. Scam, you think? Colorado Water Law requires that precipitation fall to the ground, run off and into the river of the watershed where it fell. Because rights to water are legally allocated in this state, an individual may not capture and use water to which he/she does not have a right. We must remember also that rain barrels don’t help much in a drought because a drought by its very nature supplies little in the way of snow or rain. [...]
Colorado: Regentonnen sind illegal « 11k2 said,
[...] (groovygreen via dvorak) (pic davehuston, cc) [...]
links for 2009-03-13 « boblog said,
[...] In Colorado, Rain Barrels Are Illegal. Yup. Yesterday, after I vented a bit on the lack of rain barrel options at Big Box stores, a reader tipped us off to a very interesting issue in her state of Colorado. Rain barrels there, you see, are outlawed. Colorado state law mandates that any water falling from the air is not yours. In fact, according to their site, its already been “legally allocated” — so, you don’t actually have any rights when it comes to using precipitation that falls on your property. (tags: b law stupid environment) [...]
Keith said,
Two things I don’t think anyone mentioned:
not all water captured is returned to the system. Some of it will evaporate. Example: you capture rain during humid, cold thuderstorms. You use it during hot dry weather when evaporation is high. Furthermore, some of that water gets transpired by the plants you are watering. Thus, the water returning to the system is reduced.
Second, mosquitoes. Big open barrels of some what sheltered water without many natural organisms = breeding buckets.
Fellow Coloradans: Shouldn’t We Be Allowed to Collect Our Own Rainwater? « Green Home Factory said,
[...] Read More Here [...]
Bureaucrash - Join the Resistance » Blog Archive » Rain is government property in Colorado. said,
[...] http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=3135 Email This Print This [...]
PA said,
Since that rain water is apparently someone else’s, they should be liable for any damage it causes.
Neil said,
I would like to know who originally presumed that they owned the clouds and therefore had the rights to sell their contents at all.
If someone proposed anything like this here in the UK they would just be laughed at and dismissed as a nutcase.
This is just pure insanity, no rational person could possibly justify these crazy laws.
What ever next,
I know lets make it illegal to have windows in your home because your getting free light and warmth. Or make it illegal to walk as your stealing from the taxi and bus companies,
These ideas are no more irrational then the concept of “stealing” rain water.
DarkHorse2003 said,
On the face of it, this law definitely seems utterly insane. As a resident of Colorado now for 15 years, I thought just as much when I first heard of the law. However, if we take geographical and legal constraints into account, then I think we can see some of the method in the madness. My first point is in response to my friend Neil, who’s comments should be directly above mine. I can only take his word that if someone proposed this law in the UK, they would be laughed out of the room. However, let’s face it, rain is in no short supply in the UK. The western US is a different story. Many people have commented, correctly, that the system of water rights in the western US has developed over more than a century of legal claims and disputes concerning who can use what water and how. Most of this concerns the water in the only major river flowing through the southwest, the Colorado. As someone pointed out above, almost every drop of water in that river is claimed by someone: from Denver, to Salt Lake City, to Flagstaff, to Phoenix, to Vegas, to Los Angeles, down to San Diego – leaving a mere trickle for Mexico. Here’s where the complicated part comes in. The amount of water available is measured by rainfall. We know that if there is x amount of rainfall over a watershed, then it should hold x acre feet of water. That has significance for everyone downstream who holds a legal claim to that water. As best as I can guess, the reasoning for this law is that if people, en masse, held on to the rainwater from their roofs, then the established legal claims for water rights downstream would essentially be made irrelevant. One person above calling himself CaCrazy (from California) talks about basic freedoms and taxing the air we breathe, and so on and so on, forgetting that it is the very laws that he is ridiculing that help ensure his own water supply. Now, putting that all aside, let me get to my REAL opinion. The rain barrel law does indeed seem utterly stupid, but there are legitimate issues that come from rain collection that affect the entire, water scarce, west. As populations grow, water usage is going to increase. We do need, therefore, to manage our resources as if they are very finite, as in fact they are; and do our best to ensure that the greatest amount of people have access to them. We can get into arguments about whether cities like Phoenix or Las Vegas should even exist, but for the foreseeable future, those arguments are moot because those cities aren’t going anywhere. However, we should be able to work personal collection of rain water into our existing laws. There are myriad reasons why we have the right to collect rain, especially if we are using the water multiple times – there’s your argument from scarcity right there! I shouldn’t have to go on about how rain water collection should be legal. My point is that there are other macro-level issues that need to be considered as well. If enough people get together, then perhaps we can reconcile legal exigence with rationality. . . . but wait, I live in Boulder, I don’t even have the right to own my own dog (I’m not kidding). So, in the meantime, I’ll just be Fido’s legal guardian, and I’ll be sure to write myself a ticket every time my gutters clog. Just food for thought people. Take care.
Neil said,
This isnt an issue of water rights, this is an issue of a power mad ,money grabbing few thinking thay have the right to legislate over and sell/purchace the rain.
this is utter nonsence even if these ludicrous laws have been in place for over a century. the fact that a law has been around a long time doesn’t validate it more likely it means the law is outdated and unfit for purpose in a modern world where huge companies want nothing less than to make a profit out of every aspect of out lives.
The issue you raised about water shortages is not caused by a few collecting what nature provides but a matter of greed and overuse of resources by companies and consumers in more afluent and resource rich areas.
Dont criminalise the few who collect a couple of barrels of rain, it naturally falls from the sky onto their property and is rightfully theirs, no debate on this, thats how it is and if the law says it belongs to someone else then it’s the law that is wrong.
tworomeo said,
I’m sensitive to the argument that downstream agriculture and the residents of Las Vegas and Los Angeles have some rights to the water in the river that has flowed nearby for centuries, and that tens of billions of dollars of economic activity depends on that supply. I understand the doctrine that I cannot exercise my rights if that exercise tramples on the rights of others. But it just offends my sensibilities to no end to hear that I cannot divert the rain falling onto my roof because it “belongs” to someone else, and I doubt such an absurd assertion would last long in court, even the Water Courts of Colorado. This country has tens of thousands of miles of large pipelines that move oil and natural gas to where it is needed, yet, we have no strategic plan for moving water around. That is going to become an even bigger issue than it is now when we start to really have problems because we are draining the Ogalala Aquifer. It defies logic that, rather than getting their water from a secure source, like a purpose-built desalination plant and pieline network, the farmers and megatropolis-dwellers of the arid southwest would prefer to rely on the providence of the Almighty and the fact that I can’t collect rainwater in a barrel next to my house in Denver.
Johnny D said,
I live in Highlands Ranch, CO. Its a yuppie suburb that you are required to live under the rules of an HOA. I just bought two 55 gallon drums/barrels and installed at two of my down spouts. Im sure one of my dickhead neighbors will complain and the HOA will cite me for the rain barrels but time will tell.
Toby said,
How odd. Here in Hawaii that is the only source of water for many areas. I think this silliness drives home the point of what a silly concept “ownership’ can be, when looked at from some angles. It’s a lot like that law keeping people from inhaling some burning herbs- another bizarre concept.
Toby said,
When rainbarrels are outlawed only outlaws will have rain barrels.
Ryan said,
Huh. I saw these at Home Depot, bought one, and installed one. Thought it would be nice to use to water the garden instead of turning on the hose. I live in Colorado. I guess that makes me an outlaw.
SWEET.
Matt Pizzuti said,
I live in Colorado. Water is an intense political issue here. Half a dozen major river systems have headwaters in the state yet other states claim the rights to portions of that water. If you’re in a rural community than water is probably your largest political issue; politicians have lost elections here because they said something about re-negotiating water rights to help downriver states.
Rain barrels are illegal, but you can still make good use of the water that falls. It’s reasonable to assume that water that pours out of a rain gutter into your garden will stay in your garden anyway; it’s not going to flow over the surface onto the street unless the gutter opened up very close to the street anyway.
So just plant your water-loving plants or trees at the base of the rain gutter. You can easily dig out a trench or depressed area so that the water collects and stays in the garden. During dry spells this isn’t enough to sustain the garden – but in dry years you weren’t going to get anything substantial out of a rain barrel anyway.
The water won’t reach the far corners of the yard, but since this is a dry state its much smarter to xeriscape there anyway. Have a lush water-loving garden close to the house (especially where the gutters open) and put drought-tolerant native plants everywhere else.
CJ said,
I live in Colorado and have no intention of following such a law. I collect rain whenever and wherever I can, considering that our water bills can top $200 a month even with the little watering of our lawn that we do engage in. Denver Water makes a great deal of money off of suburban homeowners, so I feel absolutely no obligation to them. What really gets me is that Colorado’s water is ’spoken for’ by people downstream via ‘law of the river’. Look into it. Coloradoans have to put up with ridiculous and draconian water rules so that idiots in Arizona and California can fill their swimming pools. Sorry, I have a hard time rustling up any sympathy for people and industries downstream who can’t be conservative with their resources like we have to be. When I can’t make use of graywater, rainwater and other less than expensive methods of hydrating my garden full of drought-tolerant, native plants because my own government decides they own something that lands on my roof before it actually lands there, we have a problem. And now that there is a recession on, I don’t doubt that Denver water will seek to jack up prices even more, whining that they need another rate increase to meet expenses. Jackasses.
I plan on using concealed rain barrels and will use them in defiance of a truly stupid law until its repealed. It’s called civil disobedience. The Colorado State government can’t provide decent schools or roads with the tax money we do give them, can’t reliably provide unemployement benefits or social services and kisses the arses of every conservative lawmaker that gets his panties in a twist about taxes and gay marriage, but it WILL have a big fat hissy fit about some poor slob watering his or her tomatoes and strawberries with collected rainwater. I tell you, it may not be a requirement to have a lobotomy before being elected in this state, but I’m sure it helps.
What? said,
How do we get this stupid law overturned in Colorado? That is insane to say that they own the rain that falls from the sky. I want to know how to get that overturned.Anyone?
Reuse Rain, LLC said,
Hello Fellow Coloradoans,
I moved away a few years ago and now live in Minnesota. Started a company called ReuseRain.com to help communities sell afordable rain barrels. Let me know if you all want us to come and do a rain barrel distribution event! Here’s our website: http://www.reuserain.com. It’s still legal to sell rain barrels,,,,and anyone can buy one. We can help.
PaulE said,
Edward said,
June 29, 2008 at 7:11 am
“And, by the way, that’s what you get for voting for Socialist pigs, aka Democrats.”
Wow…you do know we’re talking about the red state of Colorado, right? The fact that Obama made inroads here only proves how far the GOP has fallen.
Get a clue, Edward.
R Hall said,
In Colorado you can now capture rainwater with the new laws that start on July 1, 2009.
see the below link, its also mentioned on today’s front page of the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper.
http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/sl2009a/sl_179.htm
Happy Collecting!
RH
Khuldoon Cloudkisser said,
Who was talking about taxing the air you breathe? Already in the works folks…Can you say CAP and Trade bill? It’s the camel’s nose in the tent, so to speak, for this. It’s just getting you on the exhale rather than the inhale…
zipster said,
Alas, RH, the new law doesn’t apply to me, or the majority of Coloradoans. Read the law carefully. You cannot legally collect rainwater if you can get water from a water service (i.e. Denver Water or other municipality). Besides, even I met that requirement, I could NOT use the collected water for landscaping, vegetable gardens, ponds, or greenhouses — I could only use it for drinking or cleaning inside my house.
toby smith said,
I think if someone came to my house and tried to tell me that I couldn’t collect rainwater that fell off my roof, I would have to convert them into compost for my organic garden (which will be watered by the collected rainwater).
Billyb said,
Zipster, I think this does apply to people who own a home, it just doesn’t apply to multiple-person dwellings (e.g. Apartments; Condos; Duplexes, etc). So those folks are left out but folks who live in suburba hell can collect all they want providing they stick to the 4 criteria listed in the new amendment. It’s about time we are able to do this!
Melanie said,
Billyb, zipster is correct. This new law applies to very few people–only those in rural areas with no access to municipal water. Even if you have a well, but live in an area where municipal water is available, it is still illegal to capture rainwater. I live in a rural town out on the eastern plains. A municipal water system came to our town a few years ago. Not mandatory, so some are and some aren’t hooked up to it. But simply because municipal water is available here means that NO ONE in town may legally have rain barrels. On the other hand, my friend has a farm two miles up the road, with a private well, and the municipal supply was not extended out that way. HE would be able to capture rain water (but he’d need to get the free permit).
The whole law is insanely stupid. My house (as with most houses in town) has no rain gutters. The rain falls, runs off the roof, and down onto the lawn. My garden is six feet away from the west side of my house. The water can fall directly off the eaves and soak into the ground, but heaven forbid that I should put up a system that allows me to capture it and then move it a few feet over, where it will ALSO soak into the ground.
And as stated elsewhere, research found that 97% of rainwater never enters the drainages and rivers.
On top of that, I agree with the person who said that rain is a gift from God. Men can make stupid laws, but they disregard reality. For many of us the wisdom is still innate–nature cannot be owned.
Turtlepilot said,
Eddie, your right the Socialist Pig Party is behind all evil befalling YOU. Yes your the reason that Obama wanted to be President was just to mess you over. Who do you think owns the water companys that want this law in place, not the Socialist Pigs I bet. So when you have a drink or take a shower just remember you could be wrong.
thatguyy said,
Rainwater tanks don’t help at all during a drought? Excuse me, but has anybody in Colorado’s govt stopped to ask anybody who USES a rainwater tank?
I live in Australia’s South East, which can be extremely dry during the summer months. In fact, during the previous summer, we had about 2 weeks where the temperature was above 45 degrees CELCIUS (113 fahrenheit), and there was no rain at my home for months. We use rainwater tanks, because we don’t have access to mains water. We didn’t run out of water. In fact, by the time it rained again, we had enough water to last us another month.
So, clearly, rainwater tanks DO help during a drought.
VC Drake said,
Wow! This is one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard and New Mexico too. These are two states that I would think the least likely to have laws like this because so many people move there to live off the grid.
I had a rain barrel in the Ozarks of Missouri. I hope Missouri doesn’t have crazy laws like this too.
It’s actually embarrassing and I certainly hope that Colorado and New Mexico gets those laws changed soon.
Susan said,
I too thought this whole idea of outlawing rain barrels was way out of hand. I have been living here for 25 years. A few years ago I was researching ways to be a little better at conserving. I was irate when I found out about rain barrels as well as grey water to water plants. I have read many of the comments listed here and one stood out for me. The author mentioned that since we live in an arrid climate and perhaps catching rain for one person only being about 100 gallons, but if you multiply it by 50 or 1000 people you have a problem. I had to wonder what this person thought people do with the rain water they catch. I agree if we all caught the rain water and kept it hiding away in our basements and underground lockers, there might be an issue. I however, only intend to keep it for a short while to put back into the ground for the plants to use when ther is no rain in the forecast. Please sir, can you tell me how horrible it would then be for 1000 people to use their 100 gallons of rain water on their plants at the same time on the same day in July? I would be interested to know the devestation this would cause. Or maybe 50,000 people who collected 200 gallons of water? Wow! I don’t know. That might be too outrageous for those of us living in this arrid climate to take. Help us please Denver Water Department with the far reaching arms of lawfulness! Save us from ourselves and the use of sky water. Now, if I tie camouflaged rain barrels to my trees, is this technically stealing from Denver Water? It didn’t hit the roof. But if I catch it and then it hits the ground I could be sued for reusing the water.
Here’s another tid-bit. I knew a teacher who during the Summer worked for Denver Water and drove around in her air conditioned truck looking for people to ticket for using water on their off days or for too long. I get the whole water restriction thing. I uphold it. I know that the City and the commercial folks who pay bigger taxes get to use all they want. I get that too. But this lady gets to draw a teachers salary, then drive around in air conditioned comfort, using all the gas she needed, to get money from the backs of the people for using water when they shouldn’t, for ten bucks an hour. What a world we have created for ourselves! Something to be proud of for sure! I am tying my rain barrels to the trees in the back yard with tubing to gravity feed my legal medicinal marijuana. Don’t tell! Oh and my dish water? That goes to coca plants growing on the roof. Now if you think that’s extreme, you should check out my neighbor who has a green house. I haven’t turned them in yet, because I am not sure if it’s legal stuff in there or not. I am getting my night vision gear tonight and sneeking in to make sure she is growing some lettuce or something over there. She better have a spigot in there, cause if she puts that water in a bucket then puts in on a plant I could turn her in for sure. Yes, I do get carried away thinking about the stupidity of our world. I am going to wash dishes or something now.