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Rain barrels illegal in Colorado?
My rain barrel manual just informed me that "The state of Colorado does not allow the use of rain water collecting systems."
What the what?!
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Re: Rain barrels illegal in Colorado?
That's insane. I was gonna guess because of mosquitoes or something... I guess if you collect rain water for gardening and such, you don't have to pay the city for their water? Oy.
Wait, what?!
As in, the water pouring off of MY roof might actually have intended to end up in someone elses yard? Let's not even talk about the idea of owning rain.
Yup, totally insane. Try to read this and tell me if your head hurts. My DH is sort of a geology / history of development nerd so that's where I know this from.
Yep, totally true. Water rights are a big deal here.
The thing to remember about the west is that it was developed a lot differently than other areas of the country. When people started moving out west, it was very individualized (as opposed to groups of pilgrims coming and forming a community together).
Access to water and other resources were vital to surviving, and those downstream needed ways to make sure that they would not be cut off from water access.
That said, I do think the laws are pretty antiquated, and the number of people that would likely use rain barrels would not significantly affect downstream water supplies.
There are SOME areas in CO that you can use a rain barrel, but it is really limited and like 5 people qualify.
I just want to know where you ladies were the last ten times this was discussed. :op
To add onto what andrea said, CO is also a semi-arid climate, so water isn't as readily available to farms. Especially on the eastern plains.
Ha. I was totally thinking - haven't we talked about this before???
Some laws can and should be broken. I feel like this is one of them. :P
Most people fill a barrel once and just use it as second-hand recycled water...and I'm betting a lawyer could easily argue there is no additional water use from the overall system that would illicit "water hording" in any real sense of the word for those downstream. Breakin' the law...breakin' the law!!!!
There are also plants that are outlawed in most states...certain varieties of pretty poppies, hops, tobacco, etc. And various pieces of legislation have threaten backyard productive, raw milk, etc. I just might decide to grow, and or eat, those things too. ha! I'm such a rebel!
Please don't. Most of those types of legislation (i.e. plants) were enacted because they are invasive species which can and do threaten the natural vegetation of the area. You might think, "but *my* garden won't contribute to the spread of xyz" but you'd be wrong.
Your cavalier attitude sort of pisses me off, especially since you're not looking at the broad scope of your actions, just what it can do for you.You are wrong about that. The legality of the water rights laws and the rain barrel laws has been held up in court with over a century of precedent.
What Pixy and Andrea said, both times.
It's a huge deal out here (the West, not just Colo). Politicians running for statewide office, or running to represent rural areas have their campaigns made or broken on their water rights stands. His experience in this area was one of the reasons Ken Salazar was thought to be an ideal Interior Secretary candidate. I knew nothing of this when I lived in the midwest and the southeast, but I get it now.
Haha who knows! There's actually a good chance that I read the last thread that talked about it and it promptly exited my brain.
And interesting discussion.
Yep, very true, and you actually could get sued. There are lawyers out there (and other places) that are specifically devoted to water rights.
ETA: And, water rights are bought and sold basically like real estate.